Government shutdown puts Democrats in spotlight instead of Trump this time

This government shutdown isn’t President Donald Trump’s first rodeo navigating a lapse in government funding — but this time, the focus is less on the White House as all eyes are locked on Congress and its budget impasse. 

While the 35-day shutdown during Trump’s first term centered around the president’s priorities to fund a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico, the current shutdown doesn’t pit the White House against the legislative branch. 

Rather, there is a stalemate between Republicans and Democrats in Congress over certain healthcare provisions — alleviating pressure on the White House and giving Trump time to post videos showing House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., in a sombrero in an AI-generated clip underscoring Republicans’ claims that Democrats want to provide healthcare to illegal immigrants. 

HERE’S WHAT TRUMP WANTS TO DO TO RESHAPE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DURING THE SHUTDOWN

This paves the way for Trump to remain in the wings during the partial shutdown, and let Democrats take the fall for the consequences, according to libertarian political columnist Kristin Tate.

“By staying relatively quiet right now, President Trump is allowing Democrats to ‘own’ the shutdown,” Tate said in a Wednesday email to Fox News Digital. “The president realizes that if he says anything confrontational right now, the narrative will center around his remarks rather than the Democrats’ refusal to support a reasonable spending bill.” 

By maintaining a low profile, Trump is allowing the public to see how the Democrats are acting,” Tate said. “The Democrats will ultimately bear most of the political consequences of the shutdown.”

The government entered a partial shutdown Wednesday, amid a stalemate between Senate Republicans and Democrats over a short-term funding bill to keep the government open through Nov. 21. The House had previously passed the temporary spending bill in September. 

Three Senate Democrats joined Republicans to vote for the stopgap funding bill Tuesday, but the measure fell short of the required 60 votes needed for passage. 

Meanwhile, Trump and Republicans have claimed Democrats are seeking to provide health care for illegal immigrants, keeping the government from operating. They cite a provision that would repeal part of Trump’s tax and domestic policy bill — the so-called “big, beautiful bill” — which scaled back Medicaid eligibility for noncitizens. 

But Democrats have said Republicans’ claims are false, and instead, have said they want to permanently extend certain Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to lapse at the end of 2025. 

REPUBLICANS ERUPT OVER SHUTDOWN CHAOS, ACCUSE DEMS OF HOLDING GOVERNMENT ‘HOSTAGE’

“They say that undocumented people are going to get these credits,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.  (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

“They say that undocumented people are going to get these credits,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Tuesday. “That is absolutely false. That is one of the big lies that they tell.”

The shutdown differs from the one during Trump’s first term, where Trump and Democrats in Congress sparred about nearly $6 billion in funding for a U.S.-Mexico border wall in the spending bill for weeks. 

Ultimately, Trump backed off amid mounting pressure to reopen the government so federal employees could resume being paid after weeks of stalled payroll, and signed off on legislation to temporarily reopen the government without the border wall funding. 

Matt Wolking, who previously served as the deputy communications director for Trump’s 2020 campaign, said that the main difference between this shutdown in comparison to the previous one is that Democrats are the one requesting a policy change — not the White House. 

Trump is as engaged as ever — and using humor effectively, of course — and the biggest difference between now and then is that now it’s Democrats who are demanding a specific policy change,” Wolking said in a Wednesday email to Fox News Digital. They voted against funding the government because they want taxpayer-funded health care for illegal immigrants, and that’s why Trump and Republicans are well positioned to win the shutdown messaging battle this time. 

President Donald Trump’s White House denied claims that blaming Democrats for the shutdown breaks federal law. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Additionally, Republican strategist Matt Gorman said that Democrats have put themselves in a tough position since they were the ones that voted against the continuing resolution. 

“Times have shown over and over through the years that the public supports funding the government. They penalize the party that attaches extra policy priorities to whatever bill does that,” Gorman, who previously served as the communications director for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said in a Wednesday email to Fox News Digital. “You’re already seeing moderate Democrats splinter off. As this goes on, I expect that to continue.”

Meanwhile, Trump is taking advantage of the shutdown to advance his priorities to whittle down the federal government in an unprecedented move. The White House’s Office of Management and Budget ordered agencies in September to draw up plans for a reduction-in-force in the event of a lapse in appropriations. 

GOVERNMENT SHUTS DOWN AFTER CONGRESS DEADLOCKS ON SPENDING DEAL

Vice President JD Vance has adopted a proactive role carrying the administration’s position.  (Evan Vucci/The Associated Press )

While federal employees typically are furloughed during government shutdowns, the Trump administration’s plans would permanently scale back the size of the federal workforce if a government shutdown occurs.

“Republicans must use this opportunity of Democrat forced closure to clear out dead wood, waste, and fraud,” Trump said in a social media post on Wednesday. “Billions of Dollars can be saved. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” 

Vice President JD Vance has adopted a proactive role carrying the administration’s position, and told reporters Tuesday he predicted the shutdown wouldn’t last long. Specifically, he said that evidence suggests moderate Democrats are “cracking a little” because they understand the “fundamental illogic” of the shutdown. 

Still, he said that layoffs were forthcoming. Trump said Sunday that layoffs were “taking place right now” as thousands of workers’ jobs remain in jeopardy. 

“We’re going to have to make things work,” Vance said. “And that means that we’re going to have to triage some certain things, that means certain people are going to have to get laid off. And we’re going to try to make sure that the American people suffer as little as possible from the shutdown.”

The White House said in a statement to Fox News Digital that every shutdown comes with consequences.

“The Democrats can reopen the government at any time,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said Monday.