Trump signs bill to reopen government, accuses Democrats of trying to 'extort American taxpayers'

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump signed a funding bill late Wednesday night, November 12, ending the longest government shutdown in US history while using the moment to attack Democrats and outline his priorities for the 2026 midterm elections.

The House passed the funding bill earlier in the evening with a 222–209 vote, as nearly all Republicans and a handful of Democrats backed the measure. The bill reopens the federal government after a 43-day standoff that brought large parts of Washington to a halt and left hundreds of thousands of federal workers without pay.

Donald Trump blames Democrats for shutdown

Speaking from the Oval Office after signing the legislation, Trump said the shutdown was the result of Democratic “extortion,” urging Americans not to forget the episode when they head to the polls next year.

“For the past 43 days, Democrats in Congress shut down the government of the United States in an attempt to extort American taxpayers for hundreds of billions of dollars for illegal aliens,” Trump declared. “Today, we’re sending a clear message that we will NEVER give in to extortion.”

The president, seated at the Resolute Desk alongside Speaker Mike Johnson and several House Republicans, used the signing ceremony to reframe the shutdown as a political victory for his party. He reminded viewers that the episode should carry weight in upcoming elections.

“I just want to tell the American people, you should not forget this when we come up to midterms and other things,” Trump said. “Don’t forget what they’ve done to our country.”

The remarks underscored Trump’s strategy to portray Democrats as obstructionists, setting the tone for what is expected to be a fiercely contested midterm battle.

Shortly after the signing, the White House posted a brief celebratory message on social media: “WE ARE SO BACK.”

The White House further went on and wrote in another post, "For 43 days, Democrats shut down the government, trying to extort billions from taxpayers for illegal aliens. Today's message: Republicans won't give in."

Health care takes center stage in Donald Trump’s post-shutdown message

While celebrating the government’s reopening, Trump also pivoted to a familiar campaign theme, health care. Promising to deliver what he called a “better deal for Americans,” the president announced plans to redirect insurance payments toward citizens rather than corporations.

“I’m calling today for insurance companies not to be paid,” Trump said. “But for this massive amount of money to be given directly to the people.”

He added, “We’ll work on something having to do with health care. We can do a lot better.”

The statement signals that the White House intends to make health care costs and access a defining issue of the 2026 midterm elections, a challenge Republicans have struggled to legislate around for nearly a decade.