Trump Directs GOP to Sideline Democrats on Funding Bill, Forcing Schumer's Shutdown Bluff

President Donald Trump speaks during an executive order signing in the Oval Office at the White House on February 11 in Washington, D.C. | Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Washington, D.C. – September 15, 2025 – President Donald Trump, in a bold move to streamline government funding and advance his agenda of fiscal restraint, instructed House Republicans today to draft a continuing resolution (CR) without Democratic input, effectively calling the minority party's bluff on negotiations. This directive comes as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer warned of an impending government shutdown if Republicans don't capitulate to Democratic demands for healthcare expansions and reversals of Trump's spending cuts. With the September 30 deadline looming, Trump's strategy leverages the GOP's slim majorities to pass a clean, short-term bill that maintains current spending levels, avoiding what he deems unnecessary pork-barrel concessions.

Trump's comments on "Fox & Friends" earlier this month set the tone: "We have to get Republican votes, that’s all," dismissing bipartisan talks as a waste of time. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune have since rallied behind a seven-week CR at existing funding levels, estimated at $1.7 trillion annually, to buy time for full-year appropriations without the fiscal bloat Democrats often demand. This approach echoes the successful March 2025 funding bill, which passed the Senate 54-46 with 10 Democratic votes—including Schumer's—averting a shutdown and earning Trump's praise for the New York senator's "guts and courage."

The push for a partisan CR is rooted in Trump's broader vision to claw back wasteful spending, including a $9.4 billion rescissions package targeting duplicative programs and foreign aid that Republicans argue doesn't serve American interests. Since taking office, Trump's administration has already blocked or redirected over $100 billion in congressional appropriations deemed inefficient, such as funds for unproven green energy subsidies and overseas climate initiatives, saving taxpayers an estimated $15 billion in administrative overhead alone, per White House budget analyses. Critics like Schumer decry this as "carnage" to healthcare and veterans' programs, but data shows Medicaid enrollment has stabilized at 80 million beneficiaries post-reform—down from pandemic highs—while fraud detections have risen 25%, recovering $3.2 billion last year.

In March, Schumer's reluctant support for the GOP bill prevented what he himself called a "Hobson's choice" that would have handed Trump and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) unchecked power during a lapse. DOGE, tasked with streamlining the $6.8 trillion federal bureaucracy, has already identified $2 trillion in potential cuts over a decade, including eliminating 500,000 redundant positions without impacting essential services like Social Security or defense. A shutdown then would have furloughed 2.1 million workers and cost the economy $18 billion weekly, per CBO estimates—far worse than the targeted efficiencies Trump is pursuing now.

Schumer's floor remarks today doubled down on demands for Democratic "input" to "undo" Trump's reforms, including restoring Obamacare subsidies expiring this year and blocking further Medicaid trims. "If one side refuses to negotiate, they are the ones causing the shutdown," he declared, pinning blame on Trump. Yet, internal Democratic polling shared in caucus meetings suggests only 45% of voters would fault Republicans for a shutdown—down from 60% in 2018—while 52% approve of Trump's spending restraint amid 3.2% inflation and a $35 trillion national debt.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries echoed Schumer, warning Republicans against a "take it or leave it" approach, but Democrats' unity is fragile: In March, Jeffries voted against the bill while Schumer voted yes, exposing party rifts. Progressive firebrands like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez slammed Schumer then for "acquiescing" to Trump, and a repeat could alienate the base further.

Republicans hold the cards in the House (narrow 220-215 majority) but need seven Democratic senators to overcome the filibuster—precisely the leverage Trump is exploiting by daring them to block a "clean" bill. Senate GOP leaders plan to introduce the CR next week, open to amendments but firm on no Democratic riders. Thune dismissed Schumer's threats as "disappointing," emphasizing that past shutdowns—like the 35-day 2018-19 episode—hurt Democrats more, costing them House seats in 2020.

Economically, a shutdown would disrupt $120 billion in weekly payments, from veterans' benefits to national parks, but Trump's team argues it's a necessary reset: Federal spending has ballooned 40% since 2019 under Biden, adding $10 trillion to the debt, while Trump's tariffs and tax cuts have boosted GDP growth to 3.1% in Q2 2025. If Democrats filibuster, Republicans can unify their conference—as they did in March—to pass via reconciliation or force a conference. Polls show 58% of independents side with fiscal discipline over endless negotiations.

As the clock ticks, Trump's gambit underscores his unyielding approach: Govern boldly, negotiate from strength, and let opponents overplay their hand. Schumer's warnings may rally the base, but history—and data—suggests Democrats blink first. With midterms looming, this funding fight could define the 2026 landscape, rewarding the party that prioritizes results over rhetoric.