Vance Says He’s in Private Talks with Senate Democrats to End Shutdown

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Vance Says He’s in Private Talks with Senate Democrats to End Shutdown/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Vice President JD Vance revealed Wednesday he is in private talks with Senate Democrats to secure votes to end the government shutdown. The White House and GOP leaders are pressing Democrats to drop demands on health care subsidies before reopening, while Democrats remain firm. Federal workers, courts, and national services face growing disruption as partisan blame intensifies.

VP JD Vance and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a briefing on Wednesday.

Government Shutdown Messaging and Negotiations Quick Looks

Vance says five more Democratic votes are needed to reopen government
Accuses Senate Democrats of being split on negotiating, calls some demands “illogical”
Claims Schumer is blocking deal out of fear of a primary challenge from Rep. Ocasio-Cortez
Democrats demand ACA subsidies and Medicaid cuts reversed before funding bill passes
House Speaker Mike Johnson defends furloughed workers, even as OMB threatens mass firings
DOJ requests courts pause lawsuits against Trump administration due to attorney furloughs
SBA scandal: agency urged furloughed workers to blame Democrats in out-of-office replies
White House message line blames Democrats for shutdown, citing “illegal immigrant health care”
Federal workers including TSA and air traffic controllers continue without pay
GOP senators warn White House mass firings could cause political backlash

Deep Look

Vance Says Talks Ongoing as White House Doubles Down on Blame Game

WASHINGTON — Vice President JD Vance said Wednesday that he has been holding private conversations with Senate Democrats in a bid to secure the five additional votes needed to reopen the government. Speaking at a White House briefing, Vance characterized Democrats as divided, with some willing to compromise but others firmly backing leadership demands.

“We need five more in order to reopen the government, and that’s really where we’re going to focus,” Vance said, adding that Democrats unwilling to drop demands for health care funding are being “written off” by the administration.

Schumer Under Fire, AOC Responds

Vance sharpened his attacks on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, claiming the New York Democrat was blocking GOP funding bills because he fears a primary challenge from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).

“The reason the government is shut down is because Chuck Schumer is terrified of the far-left radicals in his own party,” Vance alleged.

Ocasio-Cortez dismissed the claim, saying the real issue is protecting millions of Americans at risk of losing Affordable Care Act subsidies.

“If that’s the case, my office is open,” she told MSNBC. “Negotiate with me directly. What I will not tolerate is 4 million uninsured Americans because Donald Trump wants to play games with children’s lives.”

GOP Messaging: Democrats to Blame

The White House is coordinating a unified message placing full responsibility on Democrats.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt pointed to support from business groups and some labor unions, accusing Democrats of “holding the American people hostage.”

An automated White House phone line now tells callers the shutdown is due to Democrats “funding health care for illegal immigrants.”

The Small Business Administration went further, sending employees “suggested” partisan out-of-office messages blaming Senate Democrats — a move that shocked furloughed staff and raised potential Hatch Act concerns.

Federal Workers and Courts Impacted

Meanwhile, the effects of the shutdown are spreading:

750,000 federal workers furloughed; TSA officers and air traffic controllers continue without pay.
House Speaker Mike Johnson defended furloughed employees as “hardworking Americans,” pushing back against Trump administration threats of mass firings.
The Justice Department asked courts to pause deadlines in lawsuits against Trump’s restructuring of federal agencies, citing attorney furloughs.

Republican Concerns Over Backlash

Some Republicans are wary of the White House’s hardline tactics. Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) warned layoffs could spark voter backlash, complicating future spending negotiations. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) criticized the impact on unpaid staff, while Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) sidestepped questions altogether.

Democrats Dig In

Despite internal divisions, Senate Democrats remain committed to linking reopening the government with restoring ACA subsidies and reversing Medicaid cuts. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) argued the public would side with Democrats once rising insurance costs hit home.

Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), representing thousands of federal workers, acknowledged political risk but insisted displaced employees supported Democrats’ stance “for now.”

Three Democrats — including Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) — did back the GOP’s temporary funding bill, underscoring signs of fracture. Still, with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) downplaying side talks and demanding the shutdown end first, little progress appears imminent.

Outlook

The Senate is expected to vote again Friday, but both parties appear entrenched. Vance insists the White House is open to discussing health care reforms once government reopens. Democrats refuse to budge without concessions first.

For now, the stalemate continues, federal workers remain unpaid, and Americans brace for cascading disruptions from a shutdown with no clear end in sight.