Trump’s Health Care Gamble Could Break Six-Day Government Shutdown
Government gridlock deepens as health care talks tease breakthrough.
President Donald Trump signaled Monday he's willing to negotiate a health care deal with Democrats, potentially easing the impasse that's kept the federal government shuttered for six days. The olive branch centers on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies that Democrats have demanded to curb skyrocketing premiums for millions, though Trump tempered his openness by railing against "billions and billions" in wasteful spending—a nod to hardline conservatives opposed to propping up Obamacare.
Trump's remarks, delivered during a White House appearance, offered a rare glimmer of hope in the protracted standoff. "We have a negotiation going on right now with the Democrats that could lead to very good things," he said, specifically highlighting health care reforms. "And I'm talking about good things with regard to health care." The comments came as both parties braced for another round of futile Senate votes aimed at forcing concessions, with federal services grinding to a halt and economic jitters mounting.
The shutdown's toll is mounting fast. Senate Majority Leader John Thune warned that funds for the critical WIC program—providing nutrition aid to women, infants, and children—are dwindling, pinning the blame squarely on Democrats. "Now it's the American people who are suffering the consequences," Thune said, hinting at a possible "path forward" on ACA subsidies but deferring to the White House's stance.
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Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, pounced on Trump's words as an invitation to talk but insisted the government must reopen first. "We're ready to work with Republicans to reopen the government and end the health care crisis facing tens of millions," Schumer declared. "But it takes two sides to have a negotiation." House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries echoed the urgency, revealing on NBC's "The Today Show" that enrollment notices are already hitting mailboxes, warning of premium hikes that could render coverage unaffordable. "That's what people are facing right now, which is why we need to address it," Jeffries urged.
Republicans, however, remained dug in. House Speaker Mike Johnson dismissed any immediate talks, telling reporters, "There's nothing for us to negotiate." He accused a "handful of Democrats" of prolonging the "madness" by blocking a clean stopgap funding bill that the House had already approved. With the House on recess this week, all eyes are on the Senate to break the deadlock in the GOP-controlled chamber. Yet, daily briefings from leaders on both sides have devolved into blame games, with little evidence of backchannel progress.
The broader economic backdrop only heightens the stakes. Despite steady growth, hiring has cooled, inflation lingers, and Trump's import tariffs have sown business disruptions and eroded confidence in his economic stewardship. The ballooning $2 trillion annual budget deficit looms as an existential threat, prompting the administration to eye the shutdown as leverage for deeper cuts. Officials floated unprecedented plans to convert furloughs into permanent layoffs for thousands of federal workers, aiming to slash costs long-term.
Trump appeared to confirm as much Sunday evening, but White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified he meant furloughs—for now. "Layoffs were still planned if the shutdown continues," she added, intensifying fears among federal employees idled without pay. Such moves have poisoned bipartisan trust further, as Democrats decry the tactic as coercive.
Even if talks advance, skeptics abound. California Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff, on NBC's "Meet the Press," slammed the administration for already withholding $4.9 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid via "pocket rescissions"—unilateral cuts that bypassed legislative oversight. "We need both to address the health care crisis, and we need some written assurance in the law—I won't take a promise—that they're not going to renege on any deal we make," Schiff insisted.
As the Senate gears up for its latest procedural showdown, the path to resolution remains murky. Trump's tease of compromise has cracked the door, but with conservatives balking at Obamacare lifelines and Democrats demanding ironclad guarantees, the shutdown's shadow could stretch longer, testing the limits of political will and public patience.
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