Trump mocks Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries with ‘Trump 2028’ hats ahead of govt shutdown

WASHINGTON, DC: The US federal government has officially gone into a shutdown after President Donald Trump dropped a behind-the-scenes photo of his busted-up talks with Democrats.

Wednesday, October 1, marks the first time Uncle Sam has pulled the plug since December 2018, when Trump’s first-term standoff over the border wall turned into a record-breaking 35-day freeze.

The Senate is planning yet another vote on the twice-failed funding bill on Wednesday morning, but most House Republicans aren’t even in DC, and so any timeline for fixing this mess is anyone’s guess.

Donald Trump trolls Democrats

Hours before the shutdown, Trump was busy clowning on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

All three, plus Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, were seen in an image Trump himself posted on Truth Social.

The president had two ice-cold Cokes and a stack of bright red “Trump 2028” hats on the table. He even offered the Democratic leaders the hats as gifts. Punchbowl News says they flat-out rejected them.

Jeffries asked JD Vance (who was also in the room) what he thought about Trump running for a third term. The VP reportedly shrugged it off with a curt, “No comment.”

That was enough to send the entire room into laughter. But despite the smiles and jokes, Democrats refused to budge on a deal to keep the lights on.

It's worth noting that Trump had already fanned the flames the night before by posting an AI-generated clip of Schumer’s speech and a photoshopped sombrero-and-moustache makeover of Jeffries.

What is the shutdown really about?

Democrats want Republicans to restore the healthcare cuts pushed through over the summer. Without a deal, the fallout is massive.

Hundreds of thousands of government workers are facing furloughs, while millions more federal employees are holding their breath to see if they’re “essential” or if they’ll be sidelined. The 1.3 million US military personnel will still be on duty, but without pay.

For everyday Americans, it might be a little frustrating. Passport offices, federal loan offices, national parks, and museums will remain closed. Food inspections, EPA inspections, and immigration court cases will be delayed.

Wall Street is on edge too, with economists warning that delayed labor statistics could rattle global markets.

Trump is optimistic

It seems Trump is unbothered by the shutdown.

Speaking of potential moves against his detractors, Trump said from the Oval Office Tuesday, “We can do things during the shutdown that are irreversible — that are bad for them and irreversible by them — by cutting vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like.”

Later in the day, he remarked, “A lot of good can come from shutdowns.”

Congress is technically supposed to pass a dozen separate appropriations bills to keep the government running, but lawmakers haven’t done that in years. Instead, they’ve kicked the can with “continuing resolutions” that just extend old spending levels. This time, the stalemate between Johnson, Schumer, Jeffries, and Thune is proving impossible to break.

Workers joke while everyday Americans wait

The last shutdown in 2018-19 lasted 34 days, furloughing 340,000 federal employees. This time around, analysts say as many as 800,000 workers could get furlough notices.

Around the Capitol, some government workers were reportedly joking on Wednesday about not bothering to show up. They’re guaranteed back pay after it’s over. For some, that means the shutdown looks less like a crisis and more like a forced staycation.

But for millions of Americans waiting on passports, food inspections, Social Security inquiries, or even veterans’ assistance, the shutdown is a grinding halt with no clear end in sight, the Daily Mail reported.