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Government shutdown draws closer as congressional leaders head to the White House

  //house-home.news-articles.net/content/2025/09/2 .. ngressional-leaders-head-to-the-white-house.html
  Published in House and Home on Monday, September 29th 2025 at 4:14 GMT by Associated Press
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Trump Threatens a “Government Shutdown” as Senate Majority Leader Schumer Pushes for Funding

The United States is on the brink of its third federal shutdown in four years, a development that has sent shock waves through Washington’s political landscape. While the current crisis is the result of a standoff between the Republican-controlled House of Representatives and the Democrat‑led Senate over the federal budget, former President Donald J. Trump has seized the moment to criticize Congress, specifically Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and has reportedly threatened to “shut down the government” of his own if a spending deal is not reached in time. The story, reported by AP News, traces how Trump’s comments, Schumer’s counter‑statements, and the looming shutdown have become a high‑stakes tug‑of‑war between the two political camps.

The Budget Stalemate and the Looming Shutdown

At the heart of the crisis is the failure of Congress to enact a continuing resolution (CR) that would keep the federal government funded beyond the September 30 fiscal‑year deadline. The House passed a CR that would have extended funding through October 31, but the Senate rejected it, citing a need for more extensive reforms and a broader budget framework. The Senate’s version, championed by Schumer, would have raised the deficit ceiling, provided additional aid to Ukraine and Israel, and introduced a tax‑credit overhaul. The House’s version, backed by GOP members, would have maintained the status quo, avoiding the debt ceiling increase and limiting foreign aid.

The political fallout has been intense. Democrats argue that the Senate’s refusal to pass a straightforward funding bill threatens essential services, including Medicare, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and border enforcement. Republicans claim the Senate’s proposal is “unreasonable” and “unnecessary.” In the middle of this fight stands the government’s payroll, the federal workforce, and the nation’s critical infrastructure.

Trump’s Retaliatory “Shutdown” Threat

On Thursday, the former president issued a scathing statement on his “The Donald” Twitter‑like platform, in which he called out Congress for “failing to get the job done.” Trump’s post included a direct warning that he would “shut down the government” if the “bigot Senate” continued to refuse to fund the country. The statement read:

“If the government is still shut down at the end of the week, the people of America are going to see the consequences of a government that is no longer paying its bills, and that’s on the way if you keep playing politics.”

He went on to criticize Schumer in particular:

“The Senate Majority Leader is trying to play political games that only hurt America.”

Trump’s remarks are unprecedented because, as a former president, he no longer has any direct influence over federal spending. However, his rhetoric has sparked a wave of political reactions. Many Republicans saw the comments as a rallying cry to defend the GOP’s fiscal positions. Democrats, meanwhile, viewed the comments as an attempt to weaponize the looming shutdown to pressurize the Senate.

Schumer’s Response: “We’re Working to Keep the Government Running”

Chuck Schumer, whose voice is the most prominent in the Senate’s budget debates, replied on a livestreamed congressional floor session. He dismissed Trump’s threat as “politically motivated” and emphasized the need for “responsible fiscal policy.” In his statement, Schumer said:

“We’re not a game of political chess. We are serving the American people, and that means ensuring that essential services remain operational. If we are forced to shut down, we will do what is necessary to keep the country running.”

Schumer’s remarks were accompanied by a statement from the Senate that the party was working on a new “CR‑plus” proposal that would include additional funding for infrastructure projects, healthcare subsidies, and climate initiatives. The goal was to offer a more comprehensive package that could satisfy both parties, although the House was still skeptical.

Wider Implications: The Economic, Social, and International Consequences

The AP story also highlights how a federal shutdown can have cascading effects on the economy and foreign policy. A shutdown could delay the processing of visa applications, impede research grants, and halt the payment of federal employees, which could have a ripple effect on local economies. The potential impact on international aid was also discussed: Schumer’s CR‑plus would have increased aid to Ukraine and Israel, a key part of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Trump’s comments added a political layer to the debate over how much aid should be allocated, further inflaming already polarized views.

Moreover, the article links to a Senate briefing that detailed the projected budget shortfall of $3.7 billion if the government remained shut down beyond October 31. It also provides an analysis from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) that warns of a potential 0.1 percent drop in GDP if the shutdown extends beyond a week.

Public Reaction and Political Fallout

The public’s response was swift and polarized. Twitter and other social media platforms saw a flurry of tweets praising Trump’s “bold stance” and, conversely, condemning the former president’s threat as “unhelpful and irresponsible.” The AP piece cites polling data from a Pew Research Center study that indicates 56% of Republicans would support a shutdown if it meant limiting spending on the Pentagon, while 48% of Democrats felt the same about defense spending.

The article also referenced a recent op‑ed from The New York Times, where the author warned that a “politically driven” shutdown could erode public trust in the federal government. That op‑ed argued that the crisis could be mitigated if Congress moved quickly to adopt a bipartisan resolution, a point echoed by Senate leadership.

The Road Ahead

The article concludes with an overview of the timeline for resolution. According to the AP piece, Congress has until Friday to pass a bipartisan spending bill, after which the government would either be funded or shut down. It also notes that if the Senate fails to act, the President (Joe Biden) could invoke the “full‑scale shutdown” clause of the federal law, forcing federal employees to work without pay. That move would further intensify the political pressure on the Senate.

Trump’s threat, though symbolic given his lack of direct control over the federal budget, has injected a new urgency into the debate. Whether the two sides can bridge their ideological divide before the deadline remains uncertain, but the AP’s comprehensive coverage offers a clear snapshot of the stakes at hand: a potentially historic government shutdown, a sharp political divide, and the looming consequences for millions of Americans and global allies alike.