Democrats present a united front as the government shuts down, saying they are ready to risk a lengthy closure to oppose President Donald Trump and his Republican allies.
Leaders from across the Democratic Party have embraced a standoff they say is overdue. After months of frustration in blocking Trump’s agenda, Democrats view the shutdown as not only a budget conflict but also a key test of their resistance.
“It’s a rare point of unification,” said Jim Kessler of the moderate think tank Third Way. “Absolutely, there are risks. But you’re hearing it from all wings of the Democratic Party: The fight is the victory. They want a fight. And they’re going to get one.”
Democrats Draw a Line on Health Care
The dispute centers on Democratic demands to extend expiring health care subsidies. Trump, backed by congressional Republicans, insists on a “clean” spending bill removing the subsidies.
Schumer and Jeffries have called the subsidies non-negotiable. Even frequent party critics praise their stance. Ezra Levin of Indivisible said Democrats are “finally not just rolling over and playing dead.”
Trump escalates rhetoric
Trump has aggressively assigned blame. HUD’s website displayed a banner: “The Radical Left is going to shut down the government and inflict massive pain on the American people unless they get their $1.5 trillion wish list.”
On social media, Trump posted a doctored video falsely depicting Schumer as supporting free health care for undocumented immigrants and caricaturing Jeffries. The widely condemned clip drew a sharp response from Jeffries.
“The next time you have something to say about me, don’t cop out through a racist and fake AI video,” Jeffries said at a press conference. “When I’m back in the Oval Office, say it to my face.”
Political risks and calculations
Shutdowns have historically hurt both parties, but Democratic strategists argue Republicans, as the party in power, will shoulder more blame. “I’d rather be us than them in this fight,” James Carville said.
Privately, both camps acknowledge potential backlash. Still, Democrats believe the standoff may highlight Republican overreach, especially with Trump threatening mass federal firings.
Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the chamber’s second-ranking Democrat, said on the Senate floor that Democrats see “a battle worth fighting.” Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, where more than 147,000 federal workers live, echoed that sentiment: “I’ve been very amazed at the comments I’ve got from federal workers who are saying they’ve been terrorized enough. They want us to push back.”
Impact on workers and states
The shutdown is already affecting Virginia and New Jersey, where gubernatorial races are looming. In Virginia, GOP candidate Winsome Earle-Sears avoided questions about Trump’s threats and urged Democrats like Spanberger to support an unconditional spending bill.
The political standoff offers little comfort to thousands of Virginia’s federal employees, who are second only to those in California in number. During the previous shutdown, 340,000 were furloughed, and 460,000 worked without pay until compensation was approved.
This time, Trump’s warnings of permanent cuts add to the uncertainty. Many contractors, a significant portion of the workforce, have historically not received back pay, raising concerns about potential lasting financial harm.
A risky path forward
For Democrats, the strategy is direct: empowered by their activist base and unwilling to back down against what they see as ongoing threats to government institutions, they are resolved to hold their ground, seeing resistance itself as essential to their identity and objectives.
“The fight itself is the victory,” Kessler said. “And they’re going to get one.”
