As the United States government shutdown continues amid Republicans’ standoff with Democrats, Democrats have said President Donald Trump is showing no urgency to broker a compromise to end the shutdown. Democrats also insisted that no breakthrough in the dispute between Republicans and Democrats was possible without his direct involvement.
The US shutdown entered its 17th day today, and the House is out of session for about a month. While Democrats have demanded Trump be directly involved in resolving the impasse, Republican leaders are refusing to negotiate until a short-term funding bill is passed to reopen the government. Democrats also said they would not agree to extend health insurance subsidies without guarantees.
When asked if he was willing to use his deal-making experience, Trump said, “Look, I mean, all we want to do is just extend. We don’t want anything, we just want to extend, live with the deal that they had.”
Later Thursday, he blasted Democratic demands for health care as “insane,” adding, “We’re just not going to do it.”
Spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that Democrats must first vote to reopen the government “then we can have serious conversations about health care.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune echoed that approach before leaving for the weekend, saying Trump was “willing to weigh in and sit down with Democrats or whoever once the government opens up.” Also read | Judge temporarily blocks Trump administration layoffs during extended government shutdown
Thune said he would also be willing to talk, but only after the shutdown ends. “I am willing to sit down with Democrats,” Thune wrote on social media Friday, adding, “But there is one condition: End the Schumer Shutdown. I will not negotiate on hostage terms, nor will I pay ransom.”
GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski said Thursday as she left the Capitol, “They haven’t made much progress this week.” To get things moving, Murkowski acknowledged that Trump may have to get more involved: “I think he’s an important part of it.
“I think there are some people in his administration who like that Congress really doesn’t have a role right now,” she added. “I don’t like that. I don’t like that at all.”
