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‘Erratic’ and ‘unhinged’ Trump accountable for shutdown, say senior Democrats
Senate democratic chief Chuck Schumer and Home Democratic chief Hakeem Jeffries have stated in a joint assertion early this morning that Donald Trump and Republicans had “shut down the federal authorities as a result of they don’t wish to defend the healthcare of the American individuals”.
They stated their social gathering remained keen to “discover a bipartisan path ahead to reopen the federal government” and finish the shutdown, however reiterated their place that the Republican stance on well being care stays a barrier. “We want a reputable associate,” they stated.
“Over the previous few days, President Trump’s conduct has change into extra erratic and unhinged. As a substitute of negotiating a bipartisan settlement in good religion, he’s obsessively posting crazed deepfake movies,” they stated.
Right here’s the total assertion:
After months of creating life tougher and costlier, Donald Trump and Republicans have now shut down the federal authorities as a result of they don’t wish to defend the healthcare of the American individuals. Democrats stay able to discover a bipartisan path ahead to reopen the federal government in a means that lowers prices and addresses the Republican healthcare disaster. However we’d like a reputable associate.
Over the previous few days, President Trump’s conduct has change into extra erratic and unhinged. As a substitute of negotiating a bipartisan settlement in good religion, he’s obsessively posting crazed deepfake movies.
The nation is in determined want of an intervention to get out of one other Trump shutdown.
Key occasions
‘They didn’t negotiate in any respect this time,’ says Schumer, defending previous anti-shutdown statements
Senate minority chief Chuck Schumer, talking on CNN this morning, has responded to Home Speaker Mike Johnson and the White Home’s concentrating on of him following his earlier sturdy anti-shutdown sentiments expressed throughout previous standoffs.
Schumer stated these statements got here amid intense negotiations between Republicans and Democrats which saved the federal government open – negotiations which he stated didn’t happen this time.
Throughout a earlier standoff throughout Trump’s first time period, Schumer stated: “Shutting down authorities over a coverage distinction is self-defeating.”
However at present Schumer stated that was earlier than Republicans “had carried out these horrible issues to well being care”, with either side at present in an embittered standoff over well being care spending.
And the underside line is, after I was majority chief, we had 13 instances to vote on a finances. why there was no shutdown? We sat and negotiated with the Republicans each time. They received some issues, we received some issues.
Schumer stated “they didn’t negotiate in any respect” this time, regardless of “repeated entreaties” from himself and his Home counterpart Hakeem Jeffries.
White Home finances director anticipated to talk with Home GOP this afternoon
With that in thoughts, Workplace of Administration and Price range director Russell Vought is predicted to carry a name with Home Republicans at 1pm ET to debate what occurs subsequent now that the federal government has shut down, a number of retailers are reporting.
Republicans anticipate him to transient them on the letter he despatched out to companies instructing them to start shutting down and to debate the mass firings that the Trump administration has threatened to pursue through the shutdown.
Yesterday, Trump informed reporters within the Oval Workplace:
We will do issues through the shutdown which can be irreversible, which can be unhealthy for them and irreversible by them, like chopping huge numbers of individuals and chopping issues that they like, chopping applications that they like.
Schumer has ‘handed the keys of the dominion’ to Trump to shrink authorities, says Johnson
Chuck Schumer has “handed the keys of the dominion” to the manager department to “downsize the scope and scale” of the federal government, Home speaker Mike Johnson has informed Fox Enterprise this morning, characterizing the shutdown as a “fairly huge backfire” for Democrats.
Addressing the White Home finances workplace’s route to federal companies to put together plans for mass firings amid the shutdown, Johnson stated this morning:
Whereas a shutdown could be very damaging for actual American individuals who rely upon authorities companies, it could possibly present a possibility downsize the scope and the dimensions of presidency, which is one thing that we’ve all the time needed to do. So in a means Chuck Schumer has now handed the keys to the dominion the manager department below President Trump to do some issues that we might not in any other case be capable of do as a result of we might not get Democrat votes for them.
He stated the director of the Workplace of Administration and Price range, Russell Vought, “will get to determine now what companies are important, what applications and insurance policies must be continued, and which might not be a precedence for taxpayers”.
That’s what is about to occur and Chuck Schumer has allowed that. And so, from his political perspective, it’s a fairly huge backfire.
There’s now “an actual alternative for presidency to work extra effectively and successfully for the individuals if these choices are made”, Johnson added.
You’ll be able to watch the clip right here.
Vice-president JD Vance has informed CBS Mornings that the federal government doesn’t wish to lay federal staff off through the shutdown. Blaming it on a “faction of Senate Democrats”, he stated:
We don’t wish to lay anyone off, however what we do wish to do is ensure that as a lot of the important companies of presidency stay practical as potential.
We have been kind of dealt this hand by that faction of Senate Democrats who shut down the federal government. We’re going to need to cope with it. We’re going to need to ensure that as a lot of the individuals’s authorities stays authorities stays open or practical as potential.
‘Erratic’ and ‘unhinged’ Trump accountable for shutdown, say senior Democrats
Senate democratic chief Chuck Schumer and Home Democratic chief Hakeem Jeffries have stated in a joint assertion early this morning that Donald Trump and Republicans had “shut down the federal authorities as a result of they don’t wish to defend the healthcare of the American individuals”.
They stated their social gathering remained keen to “discover a bipartisan path ahead to reopen the federal government” and finish the shutdown, however reiterated their place that the Republican stance on well being care stays a barrier. “We want a reputable associate,” they stated.
“Over the previous few days, President Trump’s conduct has change into extra erratic and unhinged. As a substitute of negotiating a bipartisan settlement in good religion, he’s obsessively posting crazed deepfake movies,” they stated.
Right here’s the total assertion:
After months of creating life tougher and costlier, Donald Trump and Republicans have now shut down the federal authorities as a result of they don’t wish to defend the healthcare of the American individuals. Democrats stay able to discover a bipartisan path ahead to reopen the federal government in a means that lowers prices and addresses the Republican healthcare disaster. However we’d like a reputable associate.
Over the previous few days, President Trump’s conduct has change into extra erratic and unhinged. As a substitute of negotiating a bipartisan settlement in good religion, he’s obsessively posting crazed deepfake movies.
The nation is in determined want of an intervention to get out of one other Trump shutdown.
On the president’s schedule at present is signing govt orders within the Oval Workplace at present at 4.30pm ET. This might be closed to press however I’ll replace you if something modifications.
Earlier than that, White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt will maintain a press briefing round 1pm ET the place she’s going to face a great deal of questions on at present’s shutdown. I’ll deliver you all the newest from that when it will get going later.
Because the midnight deadline approached final night time, the Senate once more rejected a Republican plan to maintain federal funding flowing and avert a authorities shutdown.
In a pair of back-to-back votes, every social gathering largely united to dam the opposite’s stopgap funding proposal, all however making certain a partial shutdown for the primary time in almost seven years. Each measures wanted 60 votes to cross.
Republicans united in opposition to a plan supplied by Democrats to fund the federal government by means of the top of October, that might have additionally reversed the Medicaid cuts enacted as a part of Donald Trump’s tax and spending megabill this summer season and lengthen healthcare subsidies that make medical insurance premiums extra inexpensive for low- and middle-income individuals who buy medical insurance by means of the Reasonably priced Care Act (ACA).
Almost all Democrats voted to reject a Home-passed plan that might have saved federal spending largely at present ranges by means of 21 November, and bolstered safety for the manager department officers, the supreme court docket, judges and members of Congress within the wake of the assassination of rightwing activist Charlie Kirk.
Right here’s how every US senator voted on the Republican plan.
Within the inventory markets, European shares and gold costs rose, whereas Wall Avenue futures fell on Wednesday because the US authorities shut down after lawmakers failed to succeed in a funding deal.
The prospect of companies in america being closed pushed gold to a different file excessive over $3,895, studies AFP.
In Asia, Tokyo’s inventory market sank, whereas Hong Kong and Shanghai have been closed for holidays.
European markets have been lifted by pharmaceutical shares after Pfizer was granted reprieve from President Donald Trump’s tariffs by agreeing to decrease drug costs in america. Trump additionally introduced plans to unveil an internet site to permit shoppers to straight buy some medicines from producers at discounted charges.
The greenback remained below stress on considerations attributable to the US authorities starting to close down Wednesday. Democrats and Republicans failed to interrupt a finances deadlock, with talks hinging on well being care funding.
“Traditionally shutdowns have been unhealthy for the US greenback, unhealthy for US equities, and unhealthy for bonds too,” stated Emma Wall, chief funding strategist at Hargreaves Lansdown. “Ought to the shutdown stay unresolved it’s prone to drive cash exterior of the US to markets with extra certainty,” she added.
Whereas most shutdowns finish after a brief interval, traders have been involved it may stop the discharge Friday of the important thing non-farm payrolls report – an important information for the Consumed fee choices.
“Shutdowns have delivered bouts of volatility, however the precedent has been that weak point tends to be short-lived,” famous Joshua Mahony, chief market analyst at Scope Markets.
Futures on all three essential indexes in New York have been within the purple.
Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev mocked US president Donald Trump, saying that america had not despatched nuclear submarines to Russian shores as Trump had promised.
Trump on Tuesday solid Medvedev as “a silly individual” and stated that he had moved a “submarine or two” to the coast of Russia. He stated in August that he had ordered two nuclear submarines to be moved to the “acceptable areas” in response to threats from Medvedev.
“New episode of the thriller collection,” Medvedev stated on X in English. “Trump as soon as once more introduced up the subs he allegedly ‘despatched to the Russian shores’ insisting they’re ‘very nicely hidden.”
“Because the saying goes, it’s laborious to discover a black cat in a darkish room – particularly if it’s not there,” Medvedev stated.
George Chidi
Naveed Shah, a veteran and activist who served as an enlisted public affairs specialist – a military journalist – uncharacteristically discovered himself looking for phrases to explain the tackle of the newly styled secretary of warfare to flag officers on Tuesday.
“A variety of the phrases which can be coming to me aren’t match to print,” stated Shah, coverage director for Frequent Protection, a veterans advocacy group. “The individuals in that room who’ve served for 20, 30-plus years in uniform don’t want Pete Hegseth to inform them about warrior ethos.”
Hegseth’s hour-long Ted talk-style tackle bearing on bodily health, the doctrine of lethality and the perils of DEI definitely drew extra consideration than a coverage memo might need, and maybe greater than Donald Trump’s rambling, politically charged hour-long speech that adopted.
However the consideration got here at the price of respect, stated Dana Pittard, a retired military common who commanded troopers in Iraq and co-author of Looking the Caliphate.
“I assumed it was insulting,” Pittard stated of the tackle, rejecting Hegseth’s assertion that senior officers of shade – like himself – had benefitted from a non-existent quota system for promotions.
On-line chatter in army teams forward of the unprecedented, secrecy-shrouded assembly of 800 generals and admirals referred to as to Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia had revolved round a requirement for some loyalty oath to the administration, or public firings or a declaration of warfare. Some described it as karmic revenge for many years of obligatory hour-long security briefings held by unit commanders earlier than dismissing troops for the weekend. Many additionally puzzled if the costly problem to safety may have been an e-mail.
“Definitely, addressing the troops might be helpful or useful, however to name 800-plus generals and senior enlisted advisers from world wide into this room simply earlier than a authorities shutdown? It’s not simply unhealthy optics or technique,” Shah stated. “A nasty chilly may have threatened our complete chain of command.”
Ramon Antonio Vargas
Retired US supreme court docket justice Anthony Kennedy fears “democracy will not be assured to outlive” as “partisanship is turning into way more prevalent and extra bitter” within the authorized opinions coming from his former establishment, he tells NPR in an upcoming interview.
Strikingly, for the interview set to publish in October, NPR’s Nina Totenberg stated she requested Kennedy whether or not he was nonetheless positive the supreme court docket’s main choices would stay intact – as he informed a small group of journalists that he was when he retired in 2018 throughout Donald Trump’s first presidency.
NPR reported that Kennedy “demurred”, seven years after that prediction – and three years after the federal abortion rights as soon as granted by the Roe v Wade ruling have been eradicated by a supreme court docket with a conservative supermajority anchored by three Trump appointments.
“We dwell in an period the place reasoned, considerate, rational, respectful discourse has been changed by antagonistic, confrontational dialog,” Kennedy, who was appointed to the supreme court docket throughout Ronald Reagan’s presidency, remarked.
“It appears to me the thought of partisanship is turning into way more prevalent and extra bitter. And my concern is that the court docket in its personal opinions … must be requested to average and change into way more respectful.”
Kennedy, who throughout three many years on the supreme court docket bench earned a fame as a reasonably conservative and authored the bulk opinion legalizing same-sex marriage, ominously added: “Democracy will not be assured to outlive.”
These feedback from Kennedy got here as he ready to launch a brand new memoir titled Life, Legislation & Liberty on 14 October. His statements additionally arrived because the supreme court docket was scheduled to start a nine-month time period on 6 October – throughout which it might weigh in on a request to overturn the 5-4 Obergefell supreme court docket resolution that legalized marriage for same-sex {couples} nationwide in 2015.
Below the shutdown, the training division will cease its investigations into colleges and universities over alleged civil rights violations.
For the reason that mass layoffs in March, the workplace has operated below a considerably decreased footprint. The division’s civil rights department misplaced about half of its employees. The cuts raised questions on whether or not the workplace would be capable of shrink a backlog of complaints from college students who allege they’ve skilled discrimination on the premise of race, intercourse or incapacity standing, AP studies.
The division’s personal information has proven a decline in resolving civil rights circumstances, whereas new complaints from households have elevated. Throughout the shutdown, work on the pending circumstances will cease.
Already diminished by cuts by the Trump administration, the US training division will see extra of its work come to a halt because of the authorities shutdown.
The division says a lot of its core operations will proceed within the shutdown kicking off Wednesday. Federal monetary help will maintain flowing, and pupil mortgage funds will nonetheless be due.
However investigations into civil rights complaints will cease, and the division is not going to concern new federal grants, AP studies. About 87% of its workforce might be furloughed, in response to a division contingency plan.
AP studies:
Since he took workplace, president Donald Trump has referred to as for the dismantling of the training division, saying it has been overrun by liberal considering. Company leaders have been planning to parcel out its operations to different departments, and in July the supreme court docket upheld mass layoffs that halved the division’s employees.
In a shutdown, the administration has urged federal companies may see extra positions eradicated solely. In previous shutdowns, furloughed staff have been introduced again as soon as Congress restored federal funding. This time, the White Home’s Workplace of Administration and Price range has threatened the mass firing of federal staff.
Showing earlier than the Home Appropriations Committee in Could, Training Secretary Linda McMahon urged this yr’s layoffs had made her division lean – even too lean in some circumstances. Some staffers have been introduced again, she stated, after officers discovered that the cuts went too deep.
“You hope that you just’re simply chopping fats. Typically you chop somewhat muscle, and also you understand it as you’re persevering with your applications, and you’ll deliver individuals again to do this,” McMahon stated. The division had about 4,100 staff when Trump took workplace in January. It now has about 2,500.

Chris Stein
The US authorities shut down on Wednesday, after congressional Democrats refused to assist a Republican plan to increase funding for federal departments except they gained a collection of concessions centered on healthcare.
The GOP, which controls the Senate and the Home of Representatives, repudiated their calls for, setting off a legislative scramble that lasted into the hours earlier than funding lapsed at midnight, when the Senate didn’t advance each events’ payments to maintain funding going.
The shutdown is the primary since a 35-day closure that started in December 2018 and prolonged into the brand new yr, throughout Trump’s first time period. It comes as Democrats look to regain their footing with voters, who re-elected Trump final yr and relegated them to the minority in each chambers of Congress.
“Republicans are plunging America right into a shutdown, rejecting bipartisan talks, pushing a partisan invoice and risking America’s healthcare,” prime Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer stated on Tuesday night, because it grew to become clear a shutdown was inevitable.
Final month, Home Republicans handed a invoice that might fund the federal government by means of 21 November, but it surely requires the assist of some Democrats to clear the 60-vote threshold for development within the Senate. It failed to achieve that assist in votes held late on Tuesday, whereas Republicans additionally blocked a Democratic proposal to proceed funding by means of October whereas additionally making an array of coverage modifications.
“Far-left curiosity teams and far-left Democrat members needed to indicate down with the president, and so Senate Democrats have sacrificed the American individuals to Democrats’ partisan pursuits,” Senate majority chief John Thune stated.
Senate Republicans have scheduled one other spherical of votes on the 2 funding payments on Wednesday morning, with the acknowledged objective of giving Democrats a possibility to alter their minds.
The White Home has responded to the shutdown menace by saying plans to fireside federal staff en masse if funding lapses. “Whenever you shut it down, you need to do layoffs, so we’d be shedding lots of people,” Donald Trump stated earlier on Tuesday, including: “They’re going to be Democrats.”
Nationwide Parks will largely stay partially open even because the federal authorities shuts down. A plan launched late on Tuesday, hours earlier than the shutdown was set to start, outlined how swaths of land not in a position to be locked down – together with open-air memorials, park roads, and trails – will stay accessible to the general public.
The doc additionally detailed that greater than 9,200 staff might be furloughed, lowering employees by roughly 64%. Solely staff deemed mandatory to guard “life and property”, will stay on responsibility.
The previous superintendent of Joshua Tree nationwide park stated in 2019 the park may take a whole lot of years to get well from harm attributable to guests through the 2018-19 shutdown.
In 2013, an estimated 8 million recreation visits and $414 million have been misplaced through the 16-day shutdown, in response to the Nationwide Parks Conservation Affiliation, citing Nationwide Park Service information. Throughout the latest shutdown in 2019, many parks remained open although no customer companies have been supplied. The Park Service misplaced $400,000 a day from missed entrance charge income, in response to the affiliation’s estimates. What’s extra, park guests would have sometimes spent $20 million on a median January day in close by communities.
The Guardian’s video desk has compiled this video as Republicans and Democrats blame one another for the shutdown.
Employees who have been furloughed through the 2018-19 shutdown shared their tales with the Guardian in 2019. One, Leisyka Parrott, a furloughed worker with the Bureau of Land Administration stated: “The factor is if you get again pay, all of the charges that you just incur by lacking funds – you don’t receives a commission again for these. If you’re late for a fee and have a $25 charge, the federal government doesn’t pay for that.”
“There’s every kind of points with elevating households, simply shopping for gasoline,” stated Franco DiCroce, a US military corps of engineers worker talking in his capability as president of Native 98 of the Worldwide Federation of Skilled and Technical Engineers informed the Guardian. “Most of those individuals, their salaries are usually not skyrocketing. They’re struggling much more, as a result of a few of them dwell check-to-check, so in the event that they don’t have cash coming in, they’re going to have problem assembly their wants, to even purchase groceries.”
Many turned to meals banks with the intention to eat. “You’ve labored for 10, 20, 30 years for the federal government,” stated Nurel Storey, an officer for the Nationwide Treasury Staff Union Chapter 22. “And abruptly issues have simply been shut off, for no fault of your personal.”
The 35-day partial shutdown of the US authorities that began in 2018 value about $11bn and shaved 0.2% off the nation’s annual financial progress forecasts, the non-partisan Congressional Price range Workplace stated in January 2019.
In response to the CBO, that shutdown harm financial progress as a result of it affected roughly 800,000 staff and delayed federal spending on items and companies.