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President Donald Trump said he “won’t be extorted” by Democrats to reopen the federal government, signaling he has no plans to negotiate as the shutdown continues into its second month.
In an interview aired Sunday on CBS’ “60 Minutes,” the president said Democrats who are pushing to extend health care subsidies “have lost their way” and predicted they will eventually concede to Republicans, who have insisted they will not discuss policy until the government is reopened.
“I think they have to,” Trump said. “And if they don’t vote, it’s their problem.”
Trump’s comments suggest the shutdown is likely to continue as federal workers, including air traffic controllers, face another missed paycheck and uncertainty grows over continued access to federal food aid for millions of Americans.
Senate Democrats have voted 13 times against measures to reopen the government, maintaining that Republicans must first negotiate on an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies that expire at the end of the year.
Instead of engaging in talks, President Trump again urged Republican leaders to change Senate rules and eliminate the filibuster. Senate Republicans have rejected the idea, arguing that the 60-vote threshold protects the chamber’s structure and has helped them block Democratic policies when they were in the minority.
“Republicans have to get tougher,” President Trump said. “If we end the filibuster, we can do exactly what we want.”
The shutdown is on track to become the longest in U.S. history. The current record was the 35-day shutdown in 2018 and 2019, which ended after President Trump backed down from demands for border wall funding.
The president’s push to end the filibuster adds pressure on Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota. Republicans hope that at least five Democrats will eventually join them, allowing passage of a funding bill. Thune said Thursday that Democrats should “care more about the lives of the American people than about gaining some political leverage.”
President Trump criticized the Affordable Care Act in the CBS interview, calling it “terrible” and saying that once Democrats vote to reopen the government, “we will work on fixing the bad healthcare that we have right now.” Democrats argue the ACA marketplaces are functioning, with record enrollment, and say extending subsidies is essential to prevent premium hikes on Jan. 1.