Shutdown path narrows after elections embolden Democrats and frustrate Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) — This week’s elections, which energized Democrats and frustrated President Donald Trump, have cast new uncertainty over efforts to end the record-breaking government shutdown. At 37 days, the shutdown is now the longest in U.S. history, and its toll on federal workers and public services continues to mount.

Trump has ramped up pressure on Senate Republicans, calling the shutdown a “big factor, negative” in the GOP’s poor election performances. Democrats, however, see his comments as an incentive to hold firm, believing his involvement in talks could secure an extension of expiring health care subsidies—a central point of contention.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune opened Thursday’s session by emphasizing that the next step depends on a Democratic response to the GOP offer. “It’s in their court. It’s up to them,” Thune said.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer remained defiant, pointing to recent elections as a repudiation of Trump and the GOP. “Donald Trump clearly is feeling pressure to bring this shutdown to an end. Well, I have good news for the president: Meet with Democrats, reopen the government,” Schumer said.

Trump has so far refused to meet with Democrats, insisting that they act first. Meanwhile, he has increasingly urged Republicans to consider eliminating the Senate filibuster to speed up reopening—a move many GOP senators reject. In a video Wednesday, Trump argued that the 60-vote threshold for passing legislation should be “terminated,” calling the shutdown “much bigger than the shutdown—it’s the survival of our country.”

Democrats are balancing their own pressures. Unions and allied groups want an end to the shutdown, while progressives see electoral victories in Virginia and New Jersey as validation of holding the government closed until health care subsidies are addressed. “It would be very strange for the American people to have weighed in, in support of Democrats standing up and fighting for them, and within days for us to surrender without achieving any of the things we’ve been fighting for,” said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn.

Grassroots groups hailed the election outcomes as a mandate to persist. Katie Bethell, political director of MoveOn, warned that “moderate Senate Democrats who are looking for an off-ramp right now are completely missing the moment. Voters want leaders who fight for us, and solutions that make life more affordable.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent who caucuses with Democrats, stressed the need to secure commitments on extending health care subsidies before any deal. Yet some Democrats, including Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., say the elections have not altered their approach to ending the shutdown.

On the Republican side, some lawmakers agree with Trump that the shutdown is politically damaging. “Polls show that most voters blame Republicans more than Democrats,” said Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo.

Meanwhile, the shutdown’s impact deepens. The Federal Aviation Administration announced Wednesday that air traffic in 40 major markets will be cut by 10% starting Friday to maintain safety amid staffing shortages. Millions of Americans have been affected by halted programs and delayed paychecks.

Negotiations remain stalled. Trump has refused to negotiate with Democrats over health care subsidies until they agree to reopen the government, raising skepticism given his past actions, such as restricting SNAP food aid despite court orders. Unlike his first term, when he engaged publicly during a 35-day partial shutdown in 2019, Trump is currently staying mostly out of direct talks.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has also refused further negotiations after sending lawmakers home in September, dismissing election losses as minor setbacks. Meanwhile, critical services, including food aid and child care funding, remain disrupted, and hundreds of thousands of federal workers are furloughed or working without pay.

Senators are pushing for a resolution that would involve both chambers of Congress and the White House, though uncertainties remain. Johnson stopped short Thursday of promising a House vote on extending health care subsidies, even if the Senate reaches an agreement.

Among the priorities are reinstating regular government funding processes and addressing the looming expiration of Affordable Care Act subsidies. Millions of Americans face steep increases in health insurance premiums without the enhanced federal support introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Senate Majority Leader Thune has pledged a vote on Democrats’ preferred health care legislation as part of any shutdown deal. Yet for some senators, the broader concern remains Trump’s direction for the country and his insistence on holding the government closed as leverage.

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