‘He has the skills to move it’: Republicans urge Trump to ‘get involved’ as shutdown drags on
WASHINGTON, DC: Republican leaders are holding firm in their standoff with Democrats over government funding, refusing to negotiate until the shutdown ends. However, growing unease within GOP ranks is sparking calls for President Donald Trump to take a more direct role in ending the impasse.
Several Republican lawmakers are urging Trump to step in personally and open talks with Democrats, arguing that his leadership could break the deadlock that has left the government shuttered for weeks.
GOP lawmakers call on Trump to take charge
As frustration mounts, several Republicans have publicly suggested that President Donald Trump’s involvement could shift the dynamics in Washington. “If he gets involved, he can move it,” said Sen Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala). “He can make a decision on what we do.”
Rep Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) echoed the sentiment, telling CNN, “We absolutely need him. He has the strength and skills to get it done. The Speaker is doing a great job, but we need Trump.”
Sen Jim Justice (R-WVa) also pointed to Trump’s influence as key to unlocking progress: “At the end of the day, to move this needle and get this thing off the bubble, President Trump will have to get involved. That’s probably what will have to happen.”
Despite these calls, Trump has so far refrained from daily involvement, allowing Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune to manage negotiations. Both leaders have resisted any concessions to Democrats, insisting that the government must reopen before talks can begin.
Trump, GOP vow no concessions in shutdown standoff with Democrats
Mike Johnson reaffirmed that the administration would not yield to Democratic demands. “He [Trump] is not going to negotiate with the Democrats, who have taken the American people hostage. We’re not going to pay a ransom to reopen the government,” Johnson told reporters.
Sen John Thune, expressing frustration over the stalemate, told CNN there was no “plan B,” signaling that Republicans intend to hold the line until Democrats agree to their terms.
Trump, meanwhile, has hosted Senate Republicans at the White House to encourage unity, insisting Democrats will ultimately “lose out politically.” “They are the obstructionists,” Trump said, predicting that his party’s stance would prevail. “The reason they’re doing it is because we’re doing so well.”
Over lunch with senators, Trump reportedly indicated openness to future talks with Democrats, but only after the government reopens. “He’s open to a conversation if there’s something substantive they have to offer,” Sen John Hoeven (R-ND) said. “But the idea that they can hold the government hostage in a shutdown is not going to work.”
White House doubles down on shutdown strategy
Within the White House, aides view the stalemate as an opportunity to consolidate control and streamline federal operations. President Donald Trump has publicly touted the chance to “hack away” at unnecessary government spending, boasting of deep workforce cuts and funding freezes targeting projects in Democratic districts.
“They’re not going to get a lot of things back,” Trump said of the reductions. “Maybe indirectly, they’re doing good” by allowing the administration to eliminate “unwanted parts of the government.”
Budget Chief Russell Vought confirmed that more layoffs are on the way, with plans to cut over 10,000 federal jobs. Meanwhile, the administration has redirected funding toward the military and law enforcement, ensuring that Trump’s priorities on crime and immigration remain unaffected.
Democrats urge Trump to resume talks as shutdown tensions escalate
As the shutdown drags on, Democrats have intensified calls for President Donald Trump to return to the negotiating table. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries accused the president of deliberately prolonging the crisis, saying, “We know that House and Senate Republicans don’t do anything without getting permission from their boss, Donald J Trump. The reason why there have been no negotiations, zero negotiations, since Republicans shut the government down is because Donald Trump clearly wants the government shut down.”
Jeffries added that “Trump definitely needs to get involved” to move talks forward.
Yet Trump and GOP leadership remain unmoved. “I don’t know what there is to negotiate,” Thune said. “Open up the government first.”
Despite rising tension, the White House appears confident that public sentiment may be shifting in its favor. Internal polling, officials say, suggests that Democrats could soon bear more of the blame for the ongoing crisis.
“This is just frantic wishcasting from the Democrats because they’re in disarray and their shutdown strategy has led them into a trap,” one White House official said. “Our position has not changed in terms of what we want, and our feelings on the government shutdown.”
