With the US federal government on the brink of a shutdown in a month unless Congress passes a funding bill, Democratic lawmakers are grappling with how far they are willing to resist Donald Trump’s extreme rightwing agenda that has thrown American politics into chaos.
Democrats seem to be at odds over whether they should be prepared to face a shutdown as a way to express their discontent with the president’s bid to transform the federal government.
The implications are significant; if Congress fails to approve an extension beyond March 14, many federal employees could find themselves without pay during a time when they already feel targeted by Elon Musk’s controversial “department of government efficiency.” Additionally, with Trump’s enthusiasm for asserting his presidential powers, the repercussions could be particularly intense, depending on how the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) manages a potential shutdown.
Although Republicans lead the charge in negotiating a funding agreement, controlling the White House and both houses of Congress, they will undoubtedly require support from Democrats to succeed. Though Republicans have a 53-to-47 edge in the Senate, they will need at least 60 senators’ votes to bypass a filibuster.
In the House, the Republicans maintain a slim majority of 218 to 215, and the demands from hard-right lawmakers for more dramatic spending cuts could compel Speaker Mike Johnson to seek Democratic collaboration to pass a funding bill.
“There isn’t a reasonable funding bill that could navigate through the Senate without causing unrest within the Republican ranks in the House,” stated Ezra Levin, co-founder and co-executive director of the progressive organization Indivisible. “This reflects poorly on the Republicans in the House, not anyone else. However, it is providing leverage for Democrats.”
In recent weeks, a bipartisan assembly of congressional appropriators from both parties has convened to negotiate the particulars of a potential funding agreement. Yet, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries indicated Thursday that Johnson has directed his party members to “walk away” from these discussions.
“Currently, there are no discussions because the speaker of the House has seemingly instructed House Republican appropriators to abandon the negotiating table,” Jeffries told reporters. “They are leading America toward a reckless Republican shutdown.”
Johnson countered by asserting that Democrats seemed “disinterested in keeping the government funded,” adding: “We will accomplish this. We’re not shutting down the government. We will identify a solution.”
The circumstances of the funding battle have given some Democrats the feeling that these negotiations could serve as a significant political tool as they seek to obstruct Trump’s initiatives to freeze federal funding, unilaterally close the foreign aid agency USAid, and execute extensive firings across the government.
“I cannot support actions that perpetuate the lawlessness we observe in this administration’s conduct,” remarked Andy Kim, a Democratic senator from New Jersey, during NBC’s Meet the Press last weekend. “It cannot be acceptable for us to back government funding just for them to exploit it to dismantle it.”
Progressive advocates are urging Democratic lawmakers to maintain a strong stance in the negotiations to ensure Congress passes a straightforward funding bill that Trump would be obligated to implement faithfully.
On Monday, notable congressional Democrats gathered with progressive organizations outside the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in Washington, where 15 of them pledged to withdraw their support from any funding agreement until Trump’s “constitutional crisis” is resolved.
“We’re not seeking mere statements or protest votes. We are urging them to recognize their areas of power and leverage and wield that influence,” Levin noted. “In light of the nature of this funding dispute, it represents a distinct opportunity.”
Conversely, other Democrats have shown more hesitance regarding the prospect of a shutdown, even as they maintain that Republicans should be held accountable for any funding failure.
Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey emphasized that Democrats must now accept their responsibility as “a party focused on safeguarding constituents, protecting veterans, defending first responders, and ensuring American security against [Trump’s] unlawful actions.”
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“The Republican Party has consistently proven to be the party of shutdowns and chaos,” Booker declared on UJ’s State of the Union last weekend. “Thus, we are not aiming to shut down the government; we are striving to protect our citizens.”
The ramifications of previous shutdowns may cause hesitation among Democrats as well.
The most recent shutdown began during Trump’s first term in December 2018, ultimately lasting 35 days and becoming the longest shutdown in US history. It initiated when Trump demanded that Congress earmark billions for a wall along the US-Mexico border and concluded with Trump signing a bipartisan bill that allocated no funds for the barrier. At that time, an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll indicated that 50% of Americans blamed Trump for the shutdown, whereas 37% attributed the responsibility to congressional Democrats.
“Historically, shutdowns are costly and disruptive. By the end, you reflect on what was achieved, usually finding it to be nothing,” stated Gordon Gray, executive director of Pinpoint Policy Institute and a former Republican Senate budget committee staffer. “For those needing to engage with the government during a shutdown, as well as for the workforce, the disadvantages are tangible. Politically, it appears there are more downsides than upsides.”
If a shutdown occurs, it could be unlike any other.
Trump has exhibited a remarkable willingness to stretch the limits of executive authority, and while previous presidents have acted to mitigate the adverse effects of shutdowns, he may opt not to do so. Given his apparent obsession with eliminating perceived government “waste,” there are concerns that Trump and new OMB director Russell Vought could view a shutdown as a chance to diminish federal agencies and departments that he considers unimportant.
“The OMB holds significant discretion in interpreting this situation,” Gray elaborated. “It is evident that this administration may interpret its discretion far more broadly than past administrations. Novel developments under Trump would not be surprising.”
Levin concurred, suggesting that it is quite possible Trump and some of his congressional allies may intentionally seek a government shutdown to facilitate their plans to push federal agencies aside. He anticipates that certain House Republicans may introduce funding measures that would be completely unacceptable to Democrats, such as attempting to eliminate Medicaid, potentially complicating negotiations.
“I genuinely believe it’s within the realm of possibility that the Republicans’ strategy is to drive us to a shutdown. It’s giving them more credit than they deserve to assume they want a deal,” Levin stated. “While Democrats do wield some leverage here, if we enter a shutdown, it should be clear who stands to gain and whose grand scheme this really is.”
