On Monday, House Majority Leader Hakeem Jeffries from New York criticized President Trump’s passive stance regarding the Congressional budget deadlock, suggesting it prevents any chance of resolving the ongoing government shutdown.
He stressed the importance of Trump becoming more involved in discussions about spending, warning that without this, reopening the government will be impossible.
“Donald Trump needs to engage decisively,” Jeffries told reporters at the Capitol.
He urged Trump to stop being inactive, leaving the golf course behind, and to take responsibility for ending the shutdown he initiated.
Throughout the shutdown, Jeffries has made frequent trips to Washington, pressing House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) to reconvene the House to initiate talks on a bipartisan spending agreement that could gain approval in both chambers. Democrats have made it clear they won’t support efforts to reopen the government without engaging in these discussions, which include extending Affordable Care Act subsidies.
On the flip side, Republican leaders have expressed their unwillingness to negotiate during the shutdown.
Though President Trump met with leaders from both parties at the White House on September 29—just before the shutdown—he has since distanced himself from the negotiations. His attention has turned primarily to foreign matters, and he has dismissed requests from Democrats to reconvene for budget discussions.
Jeffries argued that this disengagement is deliberate, blaming Republican leaders for not negotiating with Democrats due to Trump’s lack of support.
“We know that Republicans in the House and Senate won’t take action without their boss, Donald J. Trump. The reason there’s been no negotiation—the reason there has been absolutely no negotiation since the shutdown—is that Donald Trump clearly wants it to continue. He seems to want to inflict suffering on the American public,” Jeffries stated.
“And that won’t change until Donald Trump gives Republicans the go-ahead to talk with Democrats.”
Meanwhile, on Monday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., pointed out a division within the Republican ranks and suggested it might be time for Johnson to call the House back to Washington to start working on a temporary spending bill that could pass the Senate.
