Trump Hints at a Bigger Plan — But Only After the Government Reopens

"Closed due to government shutdown" sign at National Gallery of Art, Washington, Oct. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Washington, D.C. — October 7, 2025President Donald Trump called on Democrats Tuesday to pass a clean funding bill to reopen the federal government, pledging to negotiate on health care subsidies only after the impasse ends, as the shutdown stretches into its seventh day and furloughs mount for hundreds of thousands of workers.In a series of Truth Social posts and a White House statement, Trump framed the offer as a path forward, but Democrats dismissed it as a reversal of his earlier hardline stance, insisting on protections for Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhancements in any deal.

"Democrats must vote to reopen government NOW—then we can talk health care and make a great deal for all Americans," Trump posted Monday night, echoing a sentiment he reiterated during a Cabinet meeting Tuesday. The president's pivot comes amid mounting pressure from Republicans like Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who urged Democrats to approve a GOP-backed stopgap measure extending funding through November 21, punting health care disputes to later.

At the heart of the shutdown is Democrats' demand to extend enhanced ACA premium subsidies, set to expire at year's end, which have reduced out-of-pocket costs for 13 million enrollees and stabilized marketplaces amid inflation.Republicans, including Trump, view these as "radical" expansions that balloon deficits by $250 billion over a decade, per Congressional Budget Office estimates, and prefer tying them to Medicaid cuts from a July budget law.

House Republicans passed a "clean" continuing resolution last week, but it stalled in the Senate on a 55-45 vote short of the 60 needed to overcome a filibuster.Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has signaled openness to Trump's sequencing, telling reporters, "End the shutdown, then address the entitlements."

However, Democrats, led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), rebuffed the overture, with Schumer stating, "We won't be bullied into abandoning health care for millions—it's all or nothing in one bill."

The ACA subsidies, enacted during the Biden era, have enrolled 21 million in marketplace plans this year—a 28% increase from 2023—preventing premium hikes averaging $700 annually for middle-income families. Without extension, experts warn of 4 million losing coverage and premiums surging 75% in 2026.

The shutdown has furloughed 750,000 federal employees, including 89% at the EPA and 81% at Commerce, while essential staff like 100,000 air traffic controllers work without pay.Programs like SNAP face November disruptions for 41.7 million recipients, and WIC could exhaust funds in weeks for 6.7 million mothers and children.Economists estimate $8.4 billion in lost productivity so far, rivaling the 2018-2019 shutdown's $11 billion hit.

Trump's earlier threats to withhold back pay for "non-essential" workers drew rebukes, but his latest comments suggest a concession, potentially averting deeper cuts.House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) scheduled a vote on the clean CR for Wednesday, betting on Democratic defections amid public polls showing 58% blame both parties equally.

Allies like Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) praised Trump's "pragmatism," while Democrats like Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) accused him of "moving the goalposts" after rejecting a similar deal last week. Health care remains "one of the most intractable issues," with 62% of Americans favoring ACA expansions per recent Kaiser Family Foundation surveys.

As Senate talks intensify, Trump's gambit—reopen first, reform later—could break the logjam or prolong the pain. With midterms seven weeks away, the stakes for both parties couldn't be higher.