Democrats and the media are once again digging into old clips of President Donald Trump in a desperate attempt to score political points.
This time, they’re pointing to comments he made back in 2011 about government shutdowns — before he was ever President — and using them to attack him during today’s budget battle.
But the truth is simple: the context is completely different, and Americans know it.
Democrats Weaponize Old Comments
In an April 2011 interview with NBC News, Donald Trump said a shutdown would leave a “tremendously negative mark on the president.” At that time, Washington was locked in a standoff over spending cuts under Barack Obama. Trump was speaking as a businessman and private citizen, not as President.
Now, more than a decade later, Democrats have seized on those remarks. They’re pushing clips of the interview across social media, claiming Trump should shoulder the blame for the current shutdown.
What they leave out is critical: this shutdown is fueled by Democrat demands for taxpayer-funded benefits for illegal immigrants — not by Trump’s leadership.
White House Fires Back
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Newsweek that Democrats are “holding the American people hostage” with their refusal to pass a clean funding bill.
“It’s the Democrats who forced this shutdown, holding hardworking Americans hostage to their extreme demands — including taxpayer-funded health care for illegal immigrants,” Jackson said.
She also shared a video montage showing top Democrats warning against shutdowns in the past. “They know their shutdown is hurting families — just listen to them in their own words,” she added.
What’s Really at Stake
The shutdown began just after midnight on October 1, when Congress failed to pass a budget. The sticking point is clear:
- Democrats demand taxpayer-funded health care for illegal migrants.
- Republicans insist American citizens come first.
Vice President JD Vance explained the difference at a White House briefing:
“It’s one thing to say we should solve the health care crisis for Americans. It’s another thing to demand billions in taxpayer funding for health care for illegal migrants.”
Trump Responds
Asked about the standoff, Trump said: “The Democrats want to shut it down. When you shut it down, you have to do layoffs.”
Critics point back to his 2011 comments, but the difference is obvious. Back then, Obama was pushing massive spending and Republicans were demanding cuts. Today, Democrats are refusing to fund the government unless they get every piece of their radical agenda.
Media Tries to Twist the Story
As usual, liberal pundits and academics are rushing to blame Trump personally. One professor told Newsweek that Trump “always shifts blame.”
But millions of Americans see through the narrative. The real story is not about an old NBC interview — it’s about Democrats in Congress refusing to put the American people first.
The establishment media ignores that fact, preferring to recycle old soundbites to distract from today’s crisis.
How Long Will the Shutdown Last?
With non-essential agencies closed and millions of Americans impacted, many wonder how long the standoff will continue. Betting markets suggest it could drag on for weeks.
But one fact is clear: Democrats are willing to keep the government closed until they secure taxpayer-funded benefits for illegal immigrants. Republicans, led by Trump, insist on protecting American workers and families first.
Bottom Line
Democrats want to rewrite history and pretend Trump’s decade-old comments prove something today. But the shutdown isn’t about a TV interview from 2011. It’s about Democrats demanding handouts for migrants while ordinary Americans pay the price.
For seniors, veterans, and families across the nation, the issue is clear: President Trump is standing up for American taxpayers, while Democrats are shutting down the government for illegal immigrants.
