WASHINGTON—As the government shutdown enters its second week, Republicans are finding new and exciting ways to pin the blame on Democrats.
At the Senate Republican member meeting on Tuesday, lawmakers watched a <a href="https://x.com/AmberJoCooper/status/1975623924944908678">video</a>, exclusively obtained by The Daily Wire, lampooning the &#8220;Schumer Shutdown.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
EXCLUSIVE: <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDailyWire</a> has obtained a video Senate Republicans watched at today’s member meeting.
The video features mariachi music, a recurring theme lately on social media, and a mash up of Senators labeling the ongoing standoff the “Schumer shutdown.”
One segment shows… <a href="https://t.co/8ctJn2jbOS">pic.twitter.com/8ctJn2jbOS</a>
— Amber Jo Cooper (@AmberJoCooper) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmberJoCooper/status/1975623924944908678?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Set to mariachi music — now the preferred soundtrack to mocking standoffish Democrats, thanks to the White House — the video opens with a clip of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D) struggling with technical difficulties during a CNN hit.
“I can’t hear,&#8221; Schumer says toward the end of the video, as the word &#8220;Sure&#8221; flashes on screen. The video is a mashup of Republicans deploying the phrase &#8220;Schumer Shutdown,&#8221; Republicans&#8217; go-to byword for the funding fight.
“While the tone of the video was lighthearted the message was not,&#8221; a source who attended the Senate GOP meeting told The Daily Wire. &#8220;The video summarized exactly where the fault for this shutdown lies, with Chuck Schumer. While pressure mounts on Senate Democrats, Republicans are feeling emboldened in our fight to reopen the government for the American people,&#8221; the source said.
Following the meeting, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson spoke to reporters, reiterating Republicans&#8217; call for Senate Democrats to pass their continuing resolution and reopen the government.
On Monday night, the Senate held another vote on the House-passed funding bill. It failed by a vote of 52-42.
Thune said if a few more Senate Democrats vote with them, they can reopen the government.
“Every day that the Democrats keep the government shut down is creating more and worse consequences for the American people,” Thune said.
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&#8220;I think they&#8217;re under enormous pressure from their political left. I think they&#8217;re under enormous pressure from their leadership, but they&#8217;re going to have to be some brave souls who are courageous enough to come out and deliver the votes to open up the government,&#8221; Thune said. 
Johnson said Schumer &#8220;wants to play political games,&#8221; noting the House previously passed a &#8220;clean&#8221; continuing resolution.
&#8220;They have created a distraction. They&#8217;re trying to pretend this is about an end-of-the-year policy decision on healthcare — it is not,&#8221; Johnson said.
Schumer posted multiple times throughout the day on Tuesday. <a href="https://x.com/SenSchumer/status/1975601365071372654">One X post</a> said Senate Republicans &#8220;do not have the votes to pass their bill.&#8221;
&#8220;They need to come to the table and negotiate now to reopen the government and bring down healthcare costs. They’re the only ones who seem to think we can’t do both,&#8221; Schumer wrote.
He claimed Republicans are &#8220;OUTRIGHT LYING about giving undocumented immigrants health insurance through the ACA or Medicaid or Medicare.&#8221;
&#8220;NOT ONE FEDERAL DOLLAR can be spent for this. It&#8217;s already illegal. He just wants to distract from how Republicans shut the government down instead of fixing healthcare for the American people,&#8221; Schumer said.
The back and forth drags on. Another Senate vote is expected on the continuing resolution, but no schedule has been set.

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Watch The ‘Schumer Shutdown’ Mashup Senate Republicans Saw At Tuesday’s Member Meeting

Chuck Schumer

Government Shutdown

Mariachi Music

Republicans

Schumer Shutdown

If Congress does not fund the government by Monday night, it will cost millions of Americans their next full paycheck, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt warned on Monday.
“Millions of American federal workers are under enormous financial stress as a result, wondering how they will pay their bills and take care of their families,” Leavitt said. “If the Democrats do not vote to open the government tonight, federal workers will not receive their next full paycheck.”
More than 620,000 federal workers have <a href="https://www.govexec.com/workforce/2025/10/more-employees-set-receive-furlough-notices-shutdown-drags/408629/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">already been furloughed</a> as the government shutdown approaches its second week. More and more workers will join their ranks in the coming days unless Republicans and Democrats come to an agreement on a funding bill. That includes more than <a href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/another-deadline-us-shutdown-will-troops-get-paychecks-october-15-2025-10-06/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1 million active-duty troops</a> whose pay will lapse on October 15 absent an agreement.
Furloughed employees are issued letters they may present to landlords or creditors and will be issued back pay once the shutdown ends. Still, workers are already beginning to feel the strain of the shutdown, with some <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/fed-workers-stressed-financially-stretched-government-shutdown/story?id=126152597" target="_blank" rel="noopener">telling</a> ABC News they are living paycheck to paycheck.
Leavitt on Wednesday placed the blame for that financial strain firmly on Democrats, noting that just five defections would bring an end to the shutdown. That would not only protect federal workers’ pay, but also ensure federal nutrition programs for women and children operate uninterrupted.
Democrats thus far have refused to support funding bills that do not make permanent expanded Obamacare premium tax credits set to expire this year. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) took to X Friday to affirm that “Democrats will keep fighting to save health care for all Americans.”
Republicans say Schumer is keeping the government closed for fear of alienating extreme members of his party, who support the expanded tax credits because they would make it easier for illegal aliens to receive taxpayer-subsidized health benefits.
The Democrats’ “funding proposal would result in nearly $200 billion dollars spent on health care for illegal aliens and other non-citizens over the next decade,” Leavitt said Wednesday.
Republicans are pushing a “clean” funding bill, which would keep the government running without any additional provisions. The House of Representatives passed the bill on Sept. 19 by a vote of 217-212. The Senate has repeatedly failed to pass the bill, with the majority of Democrats voting to oppose.
Democratic Senators John Fetterman, (Pa.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.) have sided with Republicans.

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Americans Will Miss Paychecks If Shutdown Doesn’t End Tonight

Karoline Leavitt

Senate Democrats

U.S. troops

WASHINGTON—As the government shutdown rolls into the weekend, Republicans are making something very clear: this may be the &#8220;Schumer Shutdown,&#8221; but it&#8217;s a different New Yorker who&#8217;s really to blame.
It started on Wednesday, when Vice President JD Vance surprised the White House press corps at the day&#8217;s briefing.
&#8220;The reality here, and let&#8217;s be honest about the politics, is that Chuck Schumer is terrified he’s going to get a primary challenge from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,&#8221; Vance <a href="https://x.com/bennyjohnson/status/1973442899892191464">said.</a>
From there, it was off to the races. House Speaker Mike Johnson took the talking point and ran with it, highlighting an alleged rift between New York&#8217;s senior senator and the congresswoman from Queens in several interviews and <a href="https://x.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1973501784909029810">on X,</a> where he proclaimed &#8220;Chuck Schumer is driving his party OFF A CLIFF because he’s TERRIFIED of AOC and the far left. That’s not leadership.&#8221;
All manner of prominent Republicans have invoked the looming Schumer-AOC contest as the reason for the shutdown, including Treasury Secretary <a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1973727982280663179">Scott Bessent,</a> Senators <a href="https://x.com/SenBillCassidy/status/1973756759904039089">Bill Cassidy</a> (LA), <a href="https://x.com/TomCottonAR/status/1973024614487056463">Tom Cotton</a> (AR), and <a href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-marshall-chuck-schumer-is-afraid-that-aoc-will-primary-him/">Roger Marshall</a> (Kansas), as well as <a href="https://x.com/RepDonaldsPress/status/1973172460943274034">Reps. Byron Donalds (FL)</a>, and <a href="https://x.com/NancyMace/status/1973223980036501796">Nancy Mace</a> (SC).
Congressman Mike Lawler (R-NY) told The Daily Wire that the &#8220;Schumer Shutdown&#8221; has &#8220;nothing to do with policy and everything to do with politics.&#8221;
&#8220;Chuck is so consumed by the threat of a primary challenge from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez that he’s willing to put his own job security ahead of the American people,&#8221; Lawler said.
He slammed Schumer for &#8220;cowardice&#8221; and said his actions only &#8220;hurt hardworking New York taxpayers.&#8221;
This is hardly the first time lawmakers have blamed the opposing party and their policies for shutting the government down. In 2013 it was Harry Reid and Obamacare; in 2017, Donald Trump and the border wall. But this time around, Republicans are going beyond blaming Democrats or even Democratic leaders. Notably absent from these conversations is House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) who has been as active on the issue as Schumer.
The attempt to drive a wedge between Schumer and AOC — whether to alienate the moderate and radical wings of the Democratic Party, or signal that there&#8217;s no daylight between them — seems to be as much about defining the post-shutdown conversation as it is about assigning blame. Like President Donald Trump, who is leveraging the shutdown to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-meeting-set-to-axe-democrat-agencies">curtail the federal government</a>, congressional Republicans seem intent on using this shutdown to their advantage.
On Friday afternoon, Senate Democrats for the fourth time <a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/votes_new.htm">blocked</a> a continuing resolution that would reopen the government. Republicans&#8217; rhetorical strategy continued apace.
NRSC spokeswoman Joanna Rodriguez pointed The Daily Wire an <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/09/26/schumer-government-shutdown-democrats-strategy">Axios report</a> that indicates Schumer &#8220;has been plotting this government shutdown with far-Left radical activists for months.&#8221;
She said she believes Democrats&#8217; low approval ratings are &#8220;only going to keep getting worse&#8221; because Schumer and &#8220;rank-and-file Democrats&#8221; including Georgia Senator John Ossoff are &#8220;more focused on appeasing the deranged rage of their liberal base that wants illegal aliens to have free healthcare.&#8221;
&#8220;There are two very big reasons why Chuck Schumer would make a toxically-leftist policy like free healthcare for illegals as his &#8216;why&#8217; for this shutdown: crazy Democrat primary voters love it, so it could help in an AOC primary. And he is desperate to win over this radical group of openly socialist Senate candidates leading in Democrat primaries across the country that want to end Schumer’s reign as Senate Democrats’ leader if any of them win in the midterms next year,&#8221; Rodriguez said.
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) <a href="https://mariodiazbalart.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-diaz-balart-schumers-shutdown-shows-democrats-are-disarray">observed</a> that the continuing resolution, already passed by the House, is the &#8220;same clean bill Senate Democrats — including Schumer — voted for in March.&#8221;
So, what changed?
Sources with knowledge of the issue told The Daily Wire it all began after Schumer voted to fund the government until Sept. 30, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/03/13/nx-s1-5327600/house-democrats-outrage-spending#:~:text='Deep%20sense%20of%20outrage%20and%20betrayal':,Democrats%20react%20to%20Schumer%20announcement&amp;text=When%20Senate%20Minority%20Leader%20Chuck,the%20face%2C%22%20she%20said.">reportedly</a> receiving backlash from Democrats.
A month later, a <a href="https://www.dataforprogress.org/blog/2025/4/4/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-leads-chuck-schumer-in-hypothetical-2028-matchup-by-19-points">poll</a> showed AOC leading Schumer in a hypothetical 2028 matchup by 19 points.
“Because Schumer allowed the government to be funded several months ago, the Left wing rose up against him,&#8221; Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) said on his <a href="https://x.com/tedcruz/status/1973513750926991502">podcast</a> this week. &#8220;You want to understand why we have a shutdown? It’s one thing: Schumer is looking over his left shoulder and he sees AOC running up behind him — and he is terrified he is going to lose his job,” Cruz said.
Perhaps the surest sign Republicans&#8217; strategy is working is that AOC keeps responding. On Tuesday, she told <a href="https://x.com/BreitbartNews/status/1973186304205865213">MSNBC</a> that the shutdown is &#8220;so not about me.&#8221; Two days later, she and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) — the leaders of the Democrat Party&#8217;s radical wing — released a <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5535687-sanders-ocasio-cortez-aca-subsidies-shutdown/">three-minute video</a> on the shutdown.
The next day, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-says-schumer-jeffries-are-leading-democrats-s-rcna235300">NBC</a> pressed AOC again about a possible Senate run. The congresswoman equivocated, saying “I think the answer is that people are sick of politics being determined by these horse races.&#8221;
Schumer&#8217;s office did not respond to a request for comment.

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Republicans Are Calling It The ‘Schumer Shutdown.’ Why Are They Making It All About AOC?

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Democratic Party

JD Vance

Leftism

New York

The Trump administration is freezing $2.1 billion in funding for Chicago infrastructure projects over accusations of “race-based contracting” as the government shutdown continues. 
Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought announced the move Friday morning, saying that the freeze would impact construction to modernize the city’s public transit system. It comes just two days after the Department of Transportation <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-freezes-18-billion-for-nyc-infrastructure-over-unconstitutional-dei-principles?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Freezes+%2418+Billion+For+NYC+Infrastructure+Over+%E2%80%98Unconstitutional+DEI+Principles%E2%80%99">froze</a> $18 billion for New York City infrastructure projects over “unconstitutional” diversity, equity, and inclusion “principles.”
“$2.1 billion in Chicago infrastructure projects — specifically the Red Line Extension and the Red and Purple Modernization Project — have been put on hold to ensure funding is not flowing via race-based contracting,” Vought wrote on X. 
Shortly after Vought’s announcement, the Department of Transportation <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/us-department-transportation-statement-review-chicagos-discriminatory">confirmed</a> the freeze and suggested that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) were to blame for leading the Democrats’ resistance to a temporary government funding bill. 
The department said that it was “committed to conducting these reviews as fast as possible so reimbursements can move forward. Unfortunately, Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries’ decision to shut down the government has negatively affected the Department’s staffing resources for carrying out this important analysis.”
“We urge Democrats in Congress to stop holding the federal government’s budget hostage so USDOT can get back to the important work of the American people,” the department added. 
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It sent letters on Friday to the Chicago Transit Authority, stating that it had initiated an administrative review of two ongoing projects to modernize the city’s rail system, and added that it was concerned about preferential treatment in construction contracting based on race. 
“Together, these critical reviews are intended to ensure no additional federal dollars go towards discriminatory, illegal, and wasteful contracting practices,” the department said. “The American people don’t care what race or gender construction workers, pipefitters, or electricians are. They just want these massive projects finally built quickly and efficiently.”
President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-meeting-set-to-axe-democrat-agencies?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump%3A+Meeting+Set+To+Axe+‘Democrat+Agencies’">has urged</a> Republicans to take advantage of the shutdown to cut “Democrat Agencies” and eliminate wasteful spending. 
“I can’t believe the Radical Left Democrats gave me this unprecedented opportunity. They are not stupid people, so maybe this is their way of wanting to, quietly and quickly, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Trump posted on Truth Social on Thursday. 
The White House has tasked Vought with reviewing the federal bureaucracy amid the shutdown and identifying areas for spending cuts.

MixCollage-03-Oct-2025-10-22-AM-1097

Blue City Blues: Another Democrat-Run Stronghold Gets Infrastructure Funding Frozen

Blue City Blues: Another Democrat-Run Stronghold Gets Infrastructure Funding Frozen Amid Shutdown

Chicago

Department of Transportation

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

Donald Trump

Economy

Hakeem Jeffries

Illinois

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

Politics

Russ Vought

CNN anchors John Berman and Kaitlan Collins appeared to have trouble wrapping their brains around the Trump administration&#8217;s willingness to defend — and even embrace — a meme they described as &#8220;racist&#8221; without any apparent concern about the repercussions for doing so.
Berman raised the topic during a Wednesday conversation with Collins, noting that the meme in question — an AI-doctored video that featured House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) with a fake mustache and a sombrero — had been on full display at the White House briefing room.
WATCH:
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CNN’s Kaitlan Collins can’t believe the Trump admin is doubling down with memes and mariachi music in the WH briefing room:
“They simply don’t care about the criticism.&#8221;
Correct — and that&#8217;s exactly what’s driving the propaganda press insane. They&#8217;re powerless. <a href="https://t.co/hduEvgFT3q">pic.twitter.com/hduEvgFT3q</a>
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) <a href="https://twitter.com/WesternLensman/status/1973547503942508844?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;So we played sound from Vice President Vance not just defending that AI racist video of Minority Leader Jeffries wearing a sombrero, but also, like celebrating that video, and it was playing on a loop in the briefing room today,&#8221; Berman said, turning to Collins: &#8220;What are you hearing from the inside about that?&#8221;
Collins set the scene for Berman, saying that in addition to the video being played on a loop, the mariachi music from the video had been piped through the room&#8217;s sound system so that everyone could hear it.
&#8220;It just kind of gives you a window, John, into how they&#8217;re dealing with this,&#8221; Collins continued. &#8220;And how they believe they have the upper hand when it comes to the messaging here and also kind of how things have changed from the first time Donald Trump was in office.&#8221;
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&#8220;I mean, there was a shutdown then, I remember all 35 days of it, as the president said at the beginning he&#8217;d be &#8216;proud to shut the government down,&#8217; and that it ended with him obviously not getting the money for his border wall,&#8221; she added. &#8220;This time, you know, there&#8217;s a moment here, they&#8217;re being heavily criticized over this — over these posts by the president — by Democrats, and instead of backing off or apologizing for it, they&#8217;re leaning into it. They&#8217;re playing the music over loudspeakers and on repeat inside the briefing room because they simply don&#8217;t care about that criticism.&#8221;
Vice President JD Vance, when asked about the memes, gave his word that the sombrero memes would stop if and when Jeffries helped put an end to the government shutdown, which was triggered on Tuesday when Democrats refused to vote for a stopgap funding measure unless they got certain concessions.

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CNN Is Panicking About White House Mariachi Memes

Kaitlan Collins

Memes

Vice President JD Vance gave his word on Wednesday that memes mocking House and Senate Minority Leaders Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) would stop if Jeffries would help end the ongoing government shutdown.
Vance stepped into the White House briefing room to address the press corps and offered his &#8220;solemn promise&#8221; to put an end to the memes, provided Jeffries helped steer his party toward a compromise.
WATCH:
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🚨 LMFAO! JD Vance just responded to Hakeem Jeffries being offended by Trump&#8217;s memes
&#8220;I will tell Hakeem Jeffries right now, I make a solemn promise to you, that if you help us reopen the government, the sombrero memes WILL stop!&#8221;
&#8220;I&#8217;ve talked to the President about that.&#8221; 🤣 <a href="https://t.co/DkJy5t5ooe">pic.twitter.com/DkJy5t5ooe</a>
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) <a href="https://twitter.com/nicksortor/status/1973443709439189176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Vance explained that the memes — which showed Jeffries with a fake mustache and sombrero and Schumer complaining about the Democratic Party — were made in an effort to &#8220;poke fun at the absurdity&#8221; of some of the demands being made by Democrats with regard to any agreement to fund the government going forward.
&#8220;I will tell Hakeem Jeffries right now, I make a solemn promise to you, that if you help us reopen the government, the sombrero memes will stop!&#8221; Vance added, prompting laughter around the briefing room. &#8220;And I&#8217;ve talked to the President of the United States about that.&#8221;
Vance went on to say that, in all seriousness, if there were any Senate Democrats who wanted to negotiate a deal to reopen the government, he would be glad to take part.
The memes began with one video posted to President Trump&#8217;s account on X and Truth Social:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://t.co/JzQYLShOCt">pic.twitter.com/JzQYLShOCt</a>
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1972822596397003159?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
When Jeffries responded by complaining about the &#8220;racist&#8221; nature of the meme. &#8220;The next time you have something to say about me, don’t cop out through a racist and fake AI video! When I’m back in the Oval Office, say it to my face!&#8221; he demanded.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Hakeem Jeffries is very upset about Trump’s video depicting him with a mustache and a sombrero: “The next time you have something to say about me, don’t cop out through a racist and fake AI video! When I’m back in the Oval Office, say it to my face!”
😂<a href="https://t.co/aYwRrWtM9z">pic.twitter.com/aYwRrWtM9z</a>
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) <a href="https://twitter.com/theblaze/status/1973043373956296796?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Jeffries continued to complain about the meme during an appearance on MSNBC with host Lawrence O&#8217;Donnell, and Trump responded with a meme made from a clip of that interview.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://t.co/2yyuRkm9r8">pic.twitter.com/2yyuRkm9r8</a>
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1973218518893207825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Senate Republicans Advance Trump Tax Bill On Crucial Test Vote

‘A Solemn Promise’: Vance Swears Sombrero Memes Will Stop If Hakeem Jeffries Helps End Shutdown

'A Solemn Promise': Vance Swears Sombrero Memes Will Stop If Hakeem Jeffries Helps End Shutdown

Media

As Democrats forced a government shutdown, The Washington Post Editorial Board issued a <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/10/01/government-shutdown-democrats-progressives-freedom-caucus/">warning</a> — which apparently fell on deaf ears — predicting that their strategy was likely to backfire and ultimately favor President Donald Trump.
According to the Post, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) had attempted to split the baby in the final hours, asking whether others in his party might be amenable to a short-term agreement that would buy them more time to negotiate — and he was met with an adamant refusal from Progressive Caucus Chair Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX): “Hell no.”
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chuck-schumer-forcefully-made-the-case-that-biden-should-bow-out-report">progressive wing</a> of the Democratic Party — along with a number of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/msnbc-host-rage-quits-democratic-party-on-air-blames-chuck-schumer-for-caving">far-left media personalities</a> — blamed Schumer for “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/i-think-you-caved-schumer-gets-an-absolute-grilling-on-the-view">caving</a>” to Republicans during the last shutdown battle, after he argued it was better to keep the government open than risk a shutdown over demands the GOP-controlled Congress would never accept. But with the looming threat of a primary from his left — which could potentially involve self-described Democratic Socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) — Schumer has thus far allowed the progressives to drive the current shutdown fight.
But that refusal to negotiate may come back to bite progressive Democrats in the very near future, the Post argued, comparing the Progressive Caucus to the Freedom Caucus on the Republican side of the aisle.
“Progressives embraced the same disastrous mentality that led the House Freedom Caucus to believe it could come out ahead in previous government funding standoffs: They wrongly assumed their political leverage would withstand the ensuing fallout,” the Post explained. “Left-wing Democrats, like the Freedom Caucus before them, enter this shutdown in a position of weakness. President Donald Trump and his budget director, Russell Vought, now have extraordinary authority to choose which agencies to close, what spending to prioritize and even which government workers to lay off.”
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President Trump also warned Democrats ahead of the shutdown to be careful what they wished for, adding, “We can do things during the shutdown that are irreversible.”
Indeed, the Post’s Editorial Board is predicting that Trump will absolutely make good on that promise — and he’s likely to do so in a way that “maximizes pain” for the Democrats who continue to embrace the role of “roadblock” to his administration’s agenda.
“The Freedom Caucus’s tactics have failed to achieve Republicans’ goals every time. There is no reason to think this shutdown will end any differently for its left-wing counterpart. The most likely outcome is that Democrats will come to regret having just walked into a trap,” the Board concluded.

‘It’s A Trap!’: Even WaPo’s Editorial Board Warns Democrats A Shutdown Favors Trump

'It's A Trap!': Even WaPo's Editorial Board Warns Democrats A Shutdown Favors Trump

Democrats

Washington Post

The government has shut down, President Donald Trump has inked a historic deal with Pfizer, and Hamas has been given a deadline to agree with Trump&#8217;s Gaza peace deal.
It’s Wednesday, October 1, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">Budget Battle And Trump&#8217;s Speech To Military Brass</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-979287" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Federal-Government-Shuttered-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Federal-Government-Shuttered-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Federal-Government-Shuttered-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Federal-Government-Shuttered-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Federal-Government-Shuttered-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Federal-Government-Shuttered.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: A busy day for lawmakers on Tuesday as the time ticked away for a government shutdown – while President Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth held an unprecedented event attended by the U.S. military’s top commanders. 
Washington’s shutdown showdown: Lawmakers haggled until the last moment on funding for the federal government, but were unsuccessful. About a day ahead of the deadline, The New York Times and Siena College released a poll that had some worrying signs for Democrats. According to the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/30/polls/trump-approval-poll.html">poll</a>, two-thirds of Americans say that Democrats should not force a government shutdown. 
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) later called the poll “biased,” drawing a laugh from assembled senators.
President Trump attempted to bring Democrats to the table on Tuesday by reminding them that during a shutdown, he has considerable authority to reshape the government. “The last person who wants it shut down is us. Now, with that being said, we can do things during the shutdown that are irreversible, that are bad for them and irreversible by them, like cutting vast numbers of people out and cutting programs that they like,” <a href="https://x.com/cspan/status/1973069236995035285">said</a> Trump.
Schumer <a href="https://youtu.be/CmrOihzVDo8?t=43">interpreted</a> the threat as Trump owning the shutdown: “Democrats do not want a shutdown. We stand ready to work with Republicans to find a bipartisan compromise. The ball is in their court. When he says he will do things, he is taking ownership.”
Over in Quantico: Trump and Hegseth delivered two speeches to essentially every top commander in the U.S. military. The speeches lasted approximately two and a half hours.
The War Secretary reiterated the priorities he has often pushed as the head of the military: cutting social engineering and restoring what he calls the warrior ethos. 
“No more identity months. DEI offices, dudes in dresses. No more climate change worship. No more division, distraction, or gender delusions. No more debris, as I&#8217;ve said before, and we&#8217;ll say again. We are done with that s***,” <a href="https://youtu.be/YSkNiVVTm-Y?t=1216">said</a> Hegseth.
To build the military into what he said it should be, Hegseth offered a test to each military leader: Would you allow your own child to serve in the military as it’s currently structured? Unless the answer is an unqualified yes, then there are more changes to be made.
“This means at the War Department, first and foremost, we must restore a ruthless, dispassionate, and common-sense application of standards,” <a href="https://youtu.be/YSkNiVVTm-Y?t=1381">said</a> Hegseth. “I don&#8217;t want my son serving alongside troops who are outta shape or in combat unit with females who can&#8217;t meet the same combat arms, physical standards as men.”
Trump: The president’s speech was more like a military-focused campaign speech. He touted how, under his administration, the military has crushed recruitment goals and how the United States is leading China and Russia in military advances.
“My message to you is very simple. I am with you. I support you. And as president, I have your backs 100%. You’ll never see me waver even a little bit. That’s the way it is,” Trump <a href="https://youtu.be/YSkNiVVTm-Y?t=5312">told</a> assembled commanders.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">TrumpRX: The One-Stop-Shop For Cheap Drugs</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-979289" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Trump-Pfizer-Team-Up-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Trump-Pfizer-Team-Up-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Trump-Pfizer-Team-Up-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Trump-Pfizer-Team-Up-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Trump-Pfizer-Team-Up-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Trump-Pfizer-Team-Up.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: President Trump has promised a new era of lower drug prices for Americans with the launch of TrumpRX and a historic deal with Pfizer.
TrumpRX is going to be a new government website that will allow Americans to purchase medications directly at discounted prices. The site will feature reductions of up to 85% of the net price.
Pfizer: Pfizer is one of the largest pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporations in the world. It has agreed to set all their medications for Medicaid at “most favored nation” pricing, or pricing that is comparable to or less than the cost of other developed nations’ drug prices. Additionally, all new Pfizer medications will be offered at these lower prices.
Pfizer will also invest $70 billion in research and development, as well as United States manufacturing, by 2030. Trump has long said that he wants drugs made in the United States to bring back jobs, but also for national security.
More to come?: Trump indicated on Monday that more deals are coming, and he is offering incentives to boost that participation. However, if a company refuses to comply, he said he will use tariffs and other mechanisms to obtain lower drug prices for Americans.
“Eli Lilly has been fantastic,” <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&amp;v=2284710728656259">said</a> Trump. “We&#8217;re making deals with all of them. And I said if we don&#8217;t make a deal, then we&#8217;re going to tariff them an extra five, six, seven, eight percent. … Nobody wants to play that game.”
Step back: Americans pay, on average, about 422% more for brand-name drugs than other comparable nations. Trump said months ago that this is a form of “global freeloading,” where Americans underwrite all research and development costs that turn out most medical advances that benefit the world. He launched these “most favored nation” policies so R&amp;D costs are distributed to other developed nations, as well – nations like France, Germany, and the U.K.
The goal is that this will lower drug prices for Americans, while these companies maintain their margins, and therefore, R&amp;D funding and medical advances do not suffer.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump Puts Hamas On The Clock </h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-979291" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Hamas-On-The-Clock-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Hamas-On-The-Clock-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Hamas-On-The-Clock-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Hamas-On-The-Clock-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Hamas-On-The-Clock-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Hamas-On-The-Clock.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: President Trump presented what could be a game-changing Gaza peace deal this week, which has won support from Israel as well as many Arab leaders. Now, Trump has given Hamas a deadline to get on board or face a “very sad end.”
Expert opines: Victoria Coates, the vice president of The Heritage Foundation’s Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy, on the president’s 20-point plan for peace in the Middle East: “The key clause is probably the first one, which says that Hamas has to disarm and agree to this plan. But unlike the ‘Peace to Prosperity Plan’ that the president unveiled with Prime Minister Netanyahu in January of 2020, this one is being overtly and aggressively supported by partners in the Middle East. We have countries like Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, UAE, but also large Muslim majority countries like Pakistan, Indonesia, putting out statements saying, ‘yes, this is the way, this is the plan, this is a good faith effort.’ And so it all comes down to Hamas. Israel has accepted, the rest of the region has accepted, and the question is whether Hamas will accept.”
Coates on the Palestinian Authority’s stance on the plan: “[Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas] came out and said he was happy that this had happened, that he wanted to look at it, but that he thought it was a productive step. That is 180 degrees from where he was five years ago. … There is very strong reforms for the Palestinian Authority in there that they have to undertake before they get any kind of governing responsibility in Gaza. So, they&#8217;re going to have a lot of work in front of them, as well. And for him to be hopeful about it suggests that, maybe more broadly among the Palestinian people, there is support for this kind of resolution.”
Coates on Hamas’ willingness to accept: “It all depends on what condition Hamas finds itself in today. If they are really down to their last fighters, if they are out of rockets … they may be looking for survival. This does give them that path. It says that if you wish to disarm and embrace a life of amnesty, that you can stay. And if you wish to leave, you will be given safe passage to third countries. They may see this as their last ticket out.”
Coates on how the deal will be enforced: “There are going to be benchmarks Hamas has to meet repeatedly throughout this process or else Israel goes right back in. The president expressed full-throated support for Israel&#8217;s right if Hamas does not keep their side of the bargain to do what they have to do to secure the strip. Now, that&#8217;s not going to be pretty. Prime Minister Netanyahu called it ‘the hard way.’ He said he would much rather do it the easy way. I think we all would – especially for the Palestinians living there – this is the way for them to get to a more secure and prosperous future. President Trump believes in that. He wants it to happen. And he&#8217;s the one who can lead the way there.”

MRN 10.1.25 Thumbnail V1

Morning Brief: Government Shuts Down, TrumpRX, & Hamas On The Clock

Hamas

Israel

Middle East

Morning Wire

Pete Hegseth

Pfizer

shutdown-liveblog-redblue_720

SHUTDOWN UPDATES: Airport Shutdowns, Backpay Questions Put Pressure On Senate To Make A Deal

Congress

Mike Johnson

With just hours to go before the looming government shutdown is expected to kick in, a poll by The New York Times suggests that most voters would actually prefer to see Democrats in Congress get to work and find a way to avoid it.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted a screenshot of a single poll question asking 1,075 voters which of the following statements “came closest” to an accurate representation of their opinion on the matter.
“New York Times Poll: 65% of Americans say, ‘the Democrats should not shut down the government, even if their demands are not met,’” Leavitt’s caption read.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
New York Times Poll:
65% of Americans say, “the Democrats should not shut down the government, even if their demands are not met.” <a href="https://t.co/x3CFjzqgm6">pic.twitter.com/x3CFjzqgm6</a>
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1973024518424743946?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The first choice read, “The Democrats should shut down the government if their demands are not met” — and just over one-fourth (27%) of respondents selected that answer. The second, which was chosen by 65% of respondents, read, “The Democrats should not shut down the government, even if their demands are not met.” Just under one-tenth (7%) of respondents did not choose one of the two options.
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Trump’s team shared the same data in graphic form:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 POLL: 65% of Americans say Democrats SHOULD NOT shut down the government <a href="https://t.co/9schOzvYfV">pic.twitter.com/9schOzvYfV</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1973027165739643068?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
House Democrats are all-in on the imminent shutdown, and even shared a group photo celebrating their refusal to come to the table. “House Democrats are in DC and ready to cancel the cuts, lower the costs, save health care,” the caption claimed.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
House Democrats are in DC and ready to cancel the cuts, lower the costs, save health care. <a href="https://t.co/vnNRqGD3NS">pic.twitter.com/vnNRqGD3NS</a>
— House Democrats (@HouseDemocrats) <a href="https://twitter.com/HouseDemocrats/status/1972828851442204762?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who proved to be the weak link in the last shutdown standoff, has made it clear that he does not intend to budge this time. Indeed, after he argued that it was more important to make sure that the government was funded and people were paid — a position that the NYT poll suggests voters share — Schumer took a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/its-already-happening-abcs-the-view-is-in-absolute-panic-mode-over-schumer-caving-on-cr">wave of backlash</a> from within his own party for giving Republicans a win. That experience, coupled with an increasingly likely primary from someone further to the left — possibly from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) — has apparently galvanized Schumer to stand his ground in the current fight.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said as much on Tuesday, arguing that Schumer didn’t care if he was blamed for the shutdown because the optics were better for him if he was.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/LeaderJohnThune?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LeaderJohnThune</a>: &#8220;Politically speaking, Chuck Schumer needs a Schumer Shutdown&#8230; This is a made-up problem by the Democrats, who desperately need to satisfy a political base that is hostile to Donald Trump&#8230; This doesn&#8217;t have anything to do with health care.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/BwNdzwqJtn">pic.twitter.com/BwNdzwqJtn</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1973012686796623956?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“I&#8217;m going to tell you, just in the Senate at least, politically speaking, Chuck Schumer needs a Schumer Shutdown,” Thune said. “And I think that&#8217;s what we&#8217;re probably careening toward. But it&#8217;s up to the Democrats. This bill — this 24 pages is sitting at the desk in the Senate right now. It could be picked up and passed, the government stays open, and we complete our appropriations work.”
“They have the same leverage on November the 21st that they have right now,” Thune said of the Democrats, adding, “&#8230; This is a made-up problem by the Democrats, who desperately need to satisfy a political base that is hostile to Donald Trump. That&#8217;s what this is about &#8230; This doesn&#8217;t have anything to do with health care.”

US-POLITICS-TRUMP-CONGRESS

As Dems Prepare To Force A Government Shutdown, Poll Suggests The People Aren’t Falling In Line

As Dems Prepare To Force A Government Shutdown, Poll Suggests The People Aren't Falling In Line

New York Times

Poll

The New York Times

WASHINGTON—Vice President JD Vance emerged from a White House meeting with congressional leadership with a grim message.
&#8220;I think we&#8217;re heading to a shutdown, because the Democrats won&#8217;t do the right thing,&#8221; Vance said. &#8220;I hope they change their mind, but we&#8217;re going to see.&#8221;
President Donald Trump and Vance met at the White House Monday afternoon with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). Their goal — to pass a continuing resolution that will keep the government open before October 1 — seems to remain out of grasp.
The seven-week extension will allow time for the appropriations process to take place and will fund the government until November 21. The House of Representatives passed the bill on Sept. 19 by a <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5371/all-actions?overview=closed&amp;q=%7B%22roll-call-vote%22%3A%22all%22%7D">vote</a> of 217-212. The Senate, however, failed to adopt the continuing resolution by a <a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00528.htm">vote</a> of 44-48. The Senate will need 60 votes in order to pass the resolution.
The leaders spoke with reporters outside the White House following the meeting, but did not indicate any sign of a deal as Republican leaders urged Senate Democrats to pass the continuing resolution which was previously passed by the House.
“We have disagreements about tax policy, but you don’t shut the government down. We have disagreements about healthcare policy, but you don’t shut the government down,&#8221; Vance said. &#8220;You don’t say the fact that you disagree about a particular tax provision is an excuse for shutting down the people’s government and all the essential services that come along with it.&#8221;
Vance said he believes the American people are &#8220;going to suffer because these guys won&#8217;t do the right thing.&#8221;
Schumer said Democrats presented proposals to the president during the meeting and said they shared with him “some of the consequences of what’s happening in health care,” such as “the closing of rural hospitals, the fact that so many clinics are closing.&#8221;
“If he will accept some of the things we asked, which we think the American people are for, on healthcare and on recessions, he can avoid a shutdown, but there are still large differences between us,&#8221; Schumer said.
Schumer cited “very large differences” between the parties and said the Republican bill has “not one iota of Democratic input.”
He said it is “up to the Republicans if they want to shut down or not.”
Republicans have <a href="https://appropriations.house.gov/news/press-releases/house-passes-hr-5371-continuing-appropriations-and-extensions-act-2026">reportedly</a> called the continuing resolution &#8220;clean and straightforward.&#8221;
Johnson said Democrats &#8220;refuse to acknowledge the simple facts,&#8221; and called the continuing resolution a &#8220;commonsense thing to do — the right thing to do.&#8221;
The Speaker said Democrats previously issued a counterproposal that included $1.5 trillion in new spending &#8220;that is unrelated to the ongoing appropriations process.&#8221;
&#8220;If the Democrats make the decision to shut the government down, the consequences are on them and I think it&#8217;s absolutely tragic,&#8221; Johnson said.
During the press conference, Thune held up a copy of the continuing resolution, and said it is sitting at the Senate desk, and can be passed Monday night or Tuesday, if Democrats acquiesce.
&#8220;Right now, they are the only thing standing between the American people and the government shutting down,&#8221; Thune said.
Thune said that similar resolutions were passed 13 times when Democrats had the majority.
&#8220;To me, this is purely a hostage-taking exercise on part of the Democrats,&#8221; Thune said. &#8220;We&#8217;re willing to sit down and work with them on some of the issues they want to talk about, whether it&#8217;s the extension of premium tax credits, with reforms, we&#8217;re happy to have that conversation. But as of right now, this is a hijacking of the American people — and it&#8217;s the American people that are going to pay the price.&#8221;
On Sept. 20, Jeffries and Schumer wrote a letter to the president, shared <a href="https://x.com/RepJeffries/status/1969426282552119312">on X</a>, in which they insisted that Democrats will “not support a dirty spending bill that continues the Republican assault on healthcare.”
Jeffries claimed the bill includes “devastating Medicaid and Medicare cuts; skyrocketing premiums, co-pays, and deductibles; the refusal to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits,” and more.
The government is set to shut down Wednesday at 12:01 a.m. if Congress does not approve a continuing resolution.

Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu Meets With Trump At The White House

‘We’re Heading To A Shutdown’: White House Meeting With Congressional Leaders Ends In Stalemate

Multiple people are dead after what appears to be an anti-ICE attack in Dallas, red state homeowners are suing over a COVID-era bailout program, and Senate Democrats stall a funding bill that would keep the lights on in Washington.
It’s Thursday, September 25, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">ICE Targeted In Dallas</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-976679" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Texas-Anti-ICE-Assault-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Texas-Anti-ICE-Assault-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Texas-Anti-ICE-Assault-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Texas-Anti-ICE-Assault-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Texas-Anti-ICE-Assault-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Texas-Anti-ICE-Assault.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: A shooter opened fire at an ICE facility in Dallas on Wednesday, killing multiple immigrant detainees.
The gunman shot three detainees. Two of them died from their wounds. The shooter then turned the gun on himself and died at the scene.
Photos of the aftermath of the attack showed that bullets struck windows and walls inside the facility, but no law enforcement personnel were injured.
Federal law enforcement sources tell The Daily Wire that authorities believe that the shooter was trying to shoot at ICE officers when he aimed at an unmarked van. That van was holding illegal immigrant detainees who were being walked in for processing.
The shooter: Reports indicate the alleged shooter was 29-year-old Joshua Jahn. While not much is known about his history, authorities say he did give a glimpse into his motive after leaving shell casings behind, one engraved with the words “ANTI-ICE.” The FBI is investigating the targeted shooting, and the agency’s director, Kash Patel, says the casings prove that there was “an ideological motive” behind this attack.
Step back: The fatal shooting comes amid an uptick in left-wing violence targeting law enforcement and conservatives. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) spoke about that during a press conference on Wednesday, where he called for his left-leaning colleagues in Congress to stop fanning the flames of the violence with their rhetoric.
“To every politician who is using rhetoric demonizing ICE and demonizing CBP, stop. To every politician demanding that ICE agents be doxxed and calling for people to go after their families, stop,” said Cruz. “This has very real consequences. Look, in America, we disagree. That&#8217;s fine. That&#8217;s the democratic process. But your political opponents are not Nazis. We need to learn to work together without demonizing each other, without attacking each other.”
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Biden Housing Bailout Sparks Racial Backlash</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-976677" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Race-Based-Bailout-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Race-Based-Bailout-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Race-Based-Bailout-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Race-Based-Bailout-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Race-Based-Bailout-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Race-Based-Bailout.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: A $10 billion coronavirus-era housing bailout paid Americans&#8217; mortgages and even their HOA dues. But 40% of the funds went to black Americans, due to the program including explicit racial preferences.
Now, some white residents are suing their states, saying the government illegally withheld assistance from them based on their race.
The significance: This is one of the largest race-based government wealth transfers in history. And it happened because it came during the COVID pandemic, when the United States was hemorrhaging billions of dollars.
The program is called the <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/coronavirus/assistance-for-state-local-and-tribal-governments/homeowner-assistance-fund">Homeowner Assistance </a><a href="https://www.ncsha.org/homeowner-assistance-fund/">Fund</a>, and it provided people up to $50,000 to pay housing-related bills. It was passed by Congress and required about half the money to go to homeowners at or below the median income, while the remainder could be allocated to wealthier individuals, with priority given to “socially disadvantaged” homeowners.
“Socially disadvantaged?” Congress didn’t define it, and the program was run separately by each state, which received money after submitting a plan to the federal government. But the Biden administration heavily suggested a definition for the states to include in their plans: “those who have been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice or cultural bias.”
The “presumption,” the administration said, is that “the following individuals are socially disadvantaged: Black Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, and Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.”
How it played out: In Alabama, 85% of the funds went to black residents. In Georgia, it was 82%. That’s surprising because, just based on the fact that half the money was supposed to be doled out based on income, you should have seen more people of other races. Only about half of Georgians below the median income are black. 
Plaintiffs in a lawsuit say that’s because Georgia deliberately ensured that white people didn’t even know it existed. The state’s plan included texting residents to inform them about this opportunity for $50,000 – but only residents of counties with high minority populations.
The Biden administration was never clear about the criteria, but many states used the definition provided by the Biden administration. Now, Georgia, Missouri, and Oklahoma are being sued by residents for going along with it, despite politicians in those states claiming to oppose DEI.
The lawsuits: In Missouri, the program was administered by a housing commission, where the governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general serve as commissioners. Missouri partnered with the Black Chamber of Commerce to advertise the program, and 44% of the money went to blacks, who make up less than 12% of the population. A spokeswoman for Missouri Republican Governor Mike Kehoe declined to comment on the ongoing litigation but called him “a strong advocate for removing DEI.”
In Oklahoma, plaintiffs include a massage therapist who was forced out of a job by COVID policies and her disabled-veteran husband. They point out that the Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency said prominently on its website that “African American, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, [and] LGBTQ+” residents would get preference.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Budget Deadline Looms Over Congress</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-976675" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Budget-Battle-Rages-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Budget-Battle-Rages-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Budget-Battle-Rages-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Budget-Battle-Rages-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Budget-Battle-Rages-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Budget-Battle-Rages.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: President Donald Trump canceled a meeting with Democratic congressional leaders this week to discuss government funding. The president blasted Democrats’ demands as “unserious and ridiculous” as government funding is set to expire at the end of the month.
The deadline to avert a partial government shutdown is September 30, giving lawmakers less than a week. House Republicans have already passed a clean, 7-week funding extension. However, the bill is currently stalled in the Senate. Even though the GOP holds the majority, Republicans need 60 votes, which means they need some Democrat support.
Trump had planned to meet this week with Democratic leaders – Sen. Chuck Schumer and Congressman Hakeem Jeffries – but scrapped the meeting over the Democrats’ demands. The president doubled down on Wednesday, writing on Truth Social that Democratic demands include free healthcare for illegal aliens, half a billion dollars for “Radical Left News Outlets,” leaving “DEAD PEOPLE on Medicaid and Social Security rolls,” and “men playing in women’s sports.” 
What Democrats are saying: Democrats say they won’t back down. Schumer and Jeffries have been on a media blitz this week following the meeting&#8217;s collapse. The main line of attack from Democrats is centered on healthcare.
“Republicans have engaged in an unprecedented assault on the healthcare of the American people throughout this year. The largest cut to Medicaid in American history. Millions of people are going to lose coverage because of what Republicans have done,” said Jeffries during an appearance on <a href="https://youtu.be/CLm2OIhjkUo?t=228">MSNBC</a>.
State of play: According to some reports, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) urged Trump to cancel the meeting. Congressional Republicans thought that Democrats were unserious and that meeting with them would only erode Republicans’ leverage.
Johnson sent the House into recess after it passed its 7-week extension, and he said he won’t recall lawmakers back to DC until after the September 30 deadline. If Democrats don’t agree to a clean bill, there will be a fight over who takes the blame for the shutdown.
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Morning Brief: Dallas ICE Attack, Housing Bailout Sparks Racial Lawsuits & D.C.’s Budget Standoff

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