Trump’s Shutdown Warning
President Donald Trump said Saturday that he expects “common sense to prevail” as Washington works to bring a swift end to the partial government shutdown that began over the weekend.
In remarks to Fox News, Trump downplayed the political standoff and suggested Democrats have little incentive to let the shutdown drag on, warning that prolonged disruptions hurt the economy and public confidence.
“I think it’s going fine,” Trump said when asked about government funding negotiations. “We had strong GDP numbers, and during the last shutdown I lost about a point and a half. That’s not good for the country. Hopefully enough people will use their heads.”
The shutdown officially began just after midnight Saturday when funding lapsed for several major federal agencies. Affected departments include Defense, State, Treasury, Homeland Security, and several smaller agencies tied to federal operations and services.
Lawmakers had rushed Friday to pass a broad funding package covering most of the government. The plan included five standard appropriations bills, along with a short-term extension designed to keep the Department of Homeland Security funded for an additional two weeks.
While the Senate approved the package before the deadline, final passage still depends on action by the House of Representatives, which is not scheduled to return to Washington until Monday.
Democrats had previously pledged to block the full $1.2 trillion funding bill, citing objections to the Homeland Security portion. That section included roughly $10 billion in additional funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a frequent target of criticism from the political left.
Following late-night negotiations with the White House, Senate leaders agreed to temporarily separate the DHS funding in order to allow talks to continue without shutting down the entire government.
Democratic leaders quickly framed the move as a victory, as they have intensified efforts to restrict ICE and Border Patrol operations. Their demands gained momentum after recent controversies involving federal immigration enforcement earlier this month.
Earlier in the week, Senate Democrats outlined a list of conditions tied to DHS funding. These included tighter patrol limitations, expanded warrant requirements, mandatory body cameras for officers, a universal federal code of conduct, and restrictions on face coverings for DHS personnel.
When asked about those demands, Trump declined to comment on specifics but reiterated his belief that national crime levels are near historic lows.
Despite the standoff, lawmakers from both parties expressed optimism that the shutdown will be brief and far less disruptive than previous funding lapses, including last year’s record 43-day shutdown.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said leadership is preparing a fast-track voting process when lawmakers return, though passage would still require cooperation from Democrats.
House Democratic leaders have not committed to supporting the Senate’s proposal, saying they will review the legislation before deciding how to proceed.
As the shutdown continues, pressure is mounting from federal workers, national security officials, and taxpayers who want Washington to move past political gridlock and keep the government fully operational.
