A broad coalition of business associations representing hundreds of companies as diverse as Apple and Walmart united to call on Congress Thursday to immediately reopen the government. 
The coalition <a href="https://www.businessroundtable.org/business-associations-issue-statement-on-government-shutdown">warned</a> that with each day of the shutdown, “the larger and more durable the economic damage becomes — and some of it might never be recovered.” 
Top CEOs from hundreds of major U.S. companies also warned of potential irreversible economic damage.
Representing virtually every sector of the economy, from airlines, banking, hotels, manufacturing, software, real estate, and travel, the associations estimated that the ongoing shutdown costs the nation between $10 and $15 billion in lost output per week. 
While the joint statement avoided taking a political stance, the groups urged lawmakers to “avert further economic disruption” by reopening the government immediately. The associations proposed a compromise to negotiate major policy issues in a longer-term funding package rather than a continuing resolution. 
House Democratic Minority Whip Katherine Clark <a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1981030897873781156" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explained</a> why Democrats want to negotiate now rather than for a longer-term funding package. 
“I mean, shutdowns are terrible, and, of course, there will be families that are going to suffer. We take that responsibility very seriously. But it is one of the few leverage times we have,” Clark said in an <a href="https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/sitroom/date/2025-10-23/segment/03">interview</a> with CNN last week. 
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The standoff on Capitol Hill centers on health care funding. Democrats refuse to back the Republican-led continuing resolution (CR) unless it includes an extension of ACA tax credits. The credits were established in 2014 under the Affordable Care Act and were temporarily enhanced and expanded in 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Republicans maintain that health care discussions can begin after the CR is passed. 
House Speaker Mike Johnson told The Daily Wire’s Ben Shapiro, “To President Trump’s great credit, he is doing everything possible to protect families and keep vital services running.” 
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer disagreed. 
“Republicans own this shutdown,” said Schumer. “Every job lost, every family hurt, every service gutted is because of their decisions.”
Last week, the White House released <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/10/airlines-pilots-demand-action-as-democrat-shutdown-pushes-air-travel-to-the-edge/">statements</a> from leaders in the aviation industry urging Congress to reopen the federal government. 
President of NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots Pedro Leroux said, “It is indisputable that our system is less safe today than it was on Oct. 1 when the shutdown began.”
Air-traffic controllers are among the many federal workers currently working without pay. Others include government employees,  military service members, Capitol police, and thousands of third-party contractors whose payments halted when the shutdown began.  
In response, President Trump ordered the Pentagon to divert funds previously allocated for research and development to paychecks for the military. Trump also claimed an unnamed “friend” gave $130 million to pay service members. 
Next, the shutdown hits SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which is projected to run out of funds on Saturday. 
“If there are any Democrats out there who care about the damage this shutdown is doing, then I have a bill at the desk,” stated Senate Majority Leader John Thune. 
The bill is “a clean, nonpartisan CR to fund WIC, SNAP, troop pay, air traffic controller pay, farm programs, housing assistance, national defense, and more.” 
Shortly after Thune’s statement, the Senate adjourned, pushing shutdown conversations to next week.

Senators Meet For Their Weekly Policy Luncheons

The Nation’s Top Businesses Push For End Of Government Shutdown

It’s Day 30 of the Government Shutdown 

Business

Chuck Schumer

Congress

Donald Trump

Government Shutdown

John Thune

Mike Johnson

Politics

WASHINGTON—The largest union of federal employees is pushing for an end to the government shutdown, dealing a major blow to Democrats as the funding fight drags on.
The American Federation of Government Employees, which represents 800,000 federal workers, on Monday <a href="https://www.afge.org/article/its-past-time-to-end-this-shutdown/">urged</a> the Senate to approve a “clean” continuing resolution to end the stalemate. The union, usually a dependable Democratic <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-aligned-union-breaks-ranks-demands-end-to-govt-shutdown?author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Dem-Aligned+Union+Breaks+Ranks%2C+Demands+End+To+Govt+Shutdown">stalwart,</a> all but endorsed Republicans&#8217; plans to end the shutdown in a statement.
“It’s time for our leaders to start focusing on how to solve problems for the American people, rather than on who is going to get the blame for a shutdown that Americans dislike,” AFGE National President Everett Kelley said, calling the shutdown “an avoidable crisis that is harming families, communities, and the very institutions that hold our country together.”
Kelley did not lay blame with either party, but did call for the Senate to pass a &#8220;clean&#8221; continuing resolution — which Republicans have called for from the beginning of the shutdown fight.
About 1.4 million federal workers missed a paycheck last week, House Speaker Mike Johnson said at a press conference Monday morning, urging Senate Democrats to approve the House-passed continuing resolution.
Johnson added that the House had “done its work” by passing the measure a month ago.
“The Army nurse in San Antonio, the TSA officer in Atlanta, the USDA food safety inspector in Iowa, and hundreds of thousands more like them are being asked to keep our country running without the paychecks that keep their own households afloat,&#8221; Kelley said.
Kelley said the workers are &#8220;patriotic Americans – parents, caregivers, and veterans – forced to work without pay while struggling to cover rent, groceries, gas and medicine because of political disagreements in Washington. That is unacceptable.&#8221;
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) said AFGE calling for an end to the shutdown “has a lot of impact,&#8221; Semafor&#8217;s Burgess Everett <a href="https://x.com/burgessev/status/1982902515013186033">reported</a> on X.
“It’s something we will be discussing this week,&#8221; Durbin told the outlet. &#8220;I’m not announcing any change in my position at this time. They&#8217;re our friends. We take them seriously.”
Bloomberg News reporter Erik Wasson <a href="https://x.com/elwasson/status/1982857696937496756">reportedly</a> asked Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) about the union’s statement, but Schumer declined to comment.
The House Freedom Caucus weighed in Monday on X, responding to an NBC report on the union’s stance.
“It’s a bad day for Chuck Schumer when even the AFGE…a union that routinely endorses and supports Democrats…sees how bizarre the Democrats’ position is,” the caucus <a href="https://x.com/freedomcaucus/status/1982858175117484057">wrote on X.</a>
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) told The Daily Wire that AFGE is “rightly calling Democrats out on their political games, and hopefully Senate Democrats will listen.”
“Lawmakers are sent to Washington to govern, but Democrats seem to think their job is to obstruct the agenda of the President of the United States and to jeopardize the livelihoods of the American people,” Emmer said.
Emmer said Americans on “both sides of the aisle are seeing right through the Democrats’ lies and they will be held accountable for their hostage tactics.”
Democrat Sen. John Fetterman (PA) said <a href="https://x.com/SenFettermanPA/status/1982809715831628084">on X</a> that AFGE is “firmly on the right side of this and we should absolutely listen.”
“Our servicemembers, federal workers, and Capitol Police are hurting. It’s one of many reasons why I’ve continuously voted to open our government. We need to end this chaos,” Fetterman said.
Fetterman sided with Republicans on the House-passed continuing resolution to reopen the government, as did Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Angus King (I-ME).
This week, many politicians have highlighted the looming November 1 expiration of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, which will affect more than 42 million people.
The SNAP <a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program">website</a> currently cites Democrats for failing to reopen the government, stating, “Bottom line, the well has run dry.”
There are currently discussions of a potential bill to pay “certain” federal workers between Sens. Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), as reported by <a href="https://x.com/AndrewDesiderio/status/1982861472968376606">Punchbowl News</a>.
As of Monday evening, a spokesman for Johnson’s office confirmed talks are “ongoing.”
On the Senate floor Monday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer <a href="https://x.com/AmberJoCooper/status/1982908995909382282">claimed</a> the Trump administration is “making an intentional choice not to fund SNAP this weekend.”
“The emergency funding is there — the administration is just choosing not to use it. And for those who say the money can’t be moved around so easily, that’s a load of bunk. If the administration can cough up $40 billion for Argentina, they can find money for SNAP by this Saturday,” Schumer said.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) <a href="https://x.com/LeaderJohnThune/status/1982893996847555019">maintained</a> that the Senate can reopen the government this week if five “courageous” Democrats vote with them, adding there will be another opportunity to vote to reopen in the coming days.

Federal Employees Hold Rally Calling For End Of Government Shutdown

‘It’s A Bad Day For Chuck Schumer’: Dems Waver As Fed Union Calls For End To Shutdown

Federal Government

Labor Unions

President Donald Trump lambasts Democrats as the shutdown grinds on, blue state governors form a “shadow” public health alliance, and one of the boldest heists of the century leaves the Louvre missing priceless jewels.
It’s Wednesday, October 22, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">Brennan Referred And Shutdown Drags On</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-989357" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Rose-Garden-Pep-Rally-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Rose-Garden-Pep-Rally-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Rose-Garden-Pep-Rally-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Rose-Garden-Pep-Rally-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Rose-Garden-Pep-Rally-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Rose-Garden-Pep-Rally.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: President Trump is applying more pressure on Democrats as the government shutdown stretches on. Meanwhile, a major political opponent of Trump is referred for charges.
Former CIA Director John Brennan has been referred for charges from the Justice Department. Similar to former FBI Director James Comey, he is in hot water over statements he made during the probe into Trump-Russia collusion.
House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH) announced that his committee was recommending the charges on Tuesday. Jordan said that Brennan “knowingly made false statements” during sworn testimony last year. The Judiciary Committee says Brennan lied when he denied using the discredited Steele Dossier in drafting an intelligence assessment in 2017 – specifically, the Intelligence Community Assessment on Russian interference.
Rose Garden lunch: Trump – in typical Trump fashion – surprised lawmakers on Tuesday with a Rose Garden lunch. No one really knew what the lunch was about, not even Republicans.
A reporter asked Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana what the purpose of the lunch was, and he said, “I have no idea.” But Chuck Schumer and the Democrats saw things through a more sinister lens, <a href="https://x.com/AmberJoCooper/status/1980656632246988850">calling</a> the event a “Rose Garden pep rally” for the shutdown.
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There was a pep rally element to the lunch. The president had just redone the Rose Garden and spoke excitedly about how it looks. YMCA blared over the speaker system prior to the president’s remarks.
Despite the festive atmosphere, Trump and Senate Republicans were clear that they were there for business: the business of reopening the government.
“From the beginning, our message has been very simple: we will not be extorted on this crazy plot of theirs. They’ve never done this before. Nobody has!” <a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1980681699529752893">said</a> Trump. “Chuck Schumer and the Senate Democrats need to vote for the clean, bipartisan CR and reopen our government. It’s gotta be reopened, right now. We’re not doing that. They are the obstructionists. The reason they’re doing that is because we’re doing so well.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) spoke with the press after the lunch concluded. He stressed that Republicans are united on Trump&#8217;s team.
Senate Republicans are planning to hold a separate vote on paying troops and law enforcement agents for the remainder of the shutdown. It’s not clear if Democrats will join them. But there’s a chance that, if they manage to get those essential workers paid, it may empower both sides to dig in and keep the shutdown fight going even longer.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Democrats’ ‘Shadow Public-Health Alliance’</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-989359" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Health-Defiance-Alliance-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Health-Defiance-Alliance-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Health-Defiance-Alliance-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Health-Defiance-Alliance-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Health-Defiance-Alliance-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Health-Defiance-Alliance.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: More than a dozen Democrat governors have signed on to a new health alliance, in a direct challenge to the Trump administration&#8217;s federal health agencies. 
The Governors&#8217; Public Health Alliance is being pitched as “non-partisan” and “all about the science.” The claim is that the Trump administration, and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., in particular, is anti-science. Therefore, this organization is necessary to protect Americans. However, so far, the Governors’ Public Health Alliance is strictly partisan: only Democrat governors have signed on. 
The alliance will dole out medical guidance that will likely challenge federal agencies such as the CDC and FDA, or at least lobby the federal government on these matters. It will make public health guidelines or offer “best practices&#8221; on vaccines and other measures. The allied states will share medical statistics, data, and advice on preventive care, and buy vaccines and supplies in bulk. 
The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.hcinnovationgroup.com/policy-value-based-care/article/55323774/fifteen-governors-create-new-public-health-alliance?utm_source=chatgpt.com">called</a> the alliance a “shadow public-health alliance” and said it’s the “largest move” so far “to create an alternative public-health universe outside the federal government.”
Governor JB Pritzker of Illinois, a Democrat, signed on to this association and <a href="https://gov-pritzker-newsroom.prezly.com/gov-pritzker-joins-launch-of-governors-public-health-alliance-to-protect-illinoisians-from-trumps-attack-on-science?utm_source=chatgpt.com">claimed</a> that Trump and Kennedy have turned the CDC “into a misinformation machine.”
California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom also signed on. He said “extremists” in the Trump administration are trying to “weaponize the CDC and spread misinformation.”
Other states include Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and the territory of Guam. The residents in these states make up about one-third of the U.S. population.
The Democrat health effort has to do mostly with vaccines. The governors who have signed on have highlighted vaccine “access” and attacked Kennedy for challenging orthodoxy. There was also mention of abortion “access.”
The association is primarily funded by a nonprofit called Governors Action Alliance, known as GovAct. The nonprofit claims to be nonpartisan, but supports Democrat causes and generally teams up with Democrats to expand Medicaid and bolster abortion and voting rights.
GovAct is behind the “Reproductive Freedom Alliance,” a coalition of 23 Democrat governors working to expand abortion. GovAct is also behind the “Governors Safeguarding Democracy” alliance that is like a Resist Trump 2.0 effort launched just days after Trump won the 2024 election.
Trump admin’s response: HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon <a href="https://apnews.com/article/governors-public-health-alliance-kennedy-7d5f277178697bbdfc228567c6d9f616">called</a> out Democrat governors for “destroy[ing] public trust in public health.” He noted that Democrat-led states “imposed unscientific school closures, toddler mask mandates, and vaccine passports during the COVID era.” He said the Trump administration is rebuilding trust by “grounding every policy in rigorous evidence and Gold Standard Science – not the failed politics of the pandemic.” 
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Louvre Heist</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-989361" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Louvre-Heist-Whodunit-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Louvre-Heist-Whodunit-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Louvre-Heist-Whodunit-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Louvre-Heist-Whodunit-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Louvre-Heist-Whodunit-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Louvre-Heist-Whodunit.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: Investigators are still scrambling for clues after priceless jewels were stolen from the world’s most famous museum during a daring, broad-daylight heist.
On Sunday morning, a half-hour after the Louvre Museum in Paris had opened its doors, four thieves arrived in a construction truck with an electric ladder mounted on top. Two men, posing as construction workers, then ascended to a second-floor facade, where they used special disc cutters to slice holes through the windows.
The thieves entered through the windows to the famed Galerie d’Apollon, home to some of France’s most priceless Crown Jewels. With stunned patrons watching, they smashed two display cases. They removed nine objects, including a large brooch, a pair of emerald earrings, a necklace, and other jewelry belonging to Empress Marie-Louise, the second wife of Napoleon Bonaparte.
The thieves then joined their accomplices on the street, where they escaped on motorbikes, fleeing along the banks of the Seine River. The operation lasted no more than seven minutes.
As the heist went on, museum visitors were ordered to evacuate immediately. Many said they thought the building was on fire or had been struck by terrorists.
French President Emmanuel Macron called the heist an “attack on a heritage that we cherish.” The biggest concern now is that the jewels may never be recovered. Experts say the thieves certainly know they’d likely get caught if they tried to sell them on the black market, so it’s a real possibility they could remove the stones and melt down the precious metals to sell piece by piece. One of the tiaras alone had more than 1,000 diamonds and dozens of sapphires.
One official said the heist wasn’t an art crime, but a “commodity theft.” The jewels they took are of “inestimable worth,” according to the museum.
The haul could have been even larger. In their haste to get away, the thieves abandoned efforts to take the crown of Empress Eugénie, which contained nearly 2,500 diamonds and more than 50 emeralds, though it was damaged during the robbery.
The investigation: Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said the robbery was “a major, highly organized operation” carried out by a team that had clearly done scouting. But at the moment, if they have any leads, they aren’t letting the public know.
Speculation has been rampant. Many people wonder if this could’ve been part of an inside job – they want to know if someone on staff at the Louvre could have offered aid. The country’s foreign minister said they weren’t ruling out an inside job.
Others have questioned why these specific jewels were targeted. In the same room they hit lies a display case housing the famous Regent Diamond, a $60 million stone. Even some French officials have expressed confusion over why the thieves, who clearly had done their research, seemingly ignored such a prime target just a few feet away.
Heist hysteria: Just last week, a group of thieves stole a number of collectible clocks from the President Jacques Chirac Museum in the French town of Corrèze. Then last month, a separate heist saw thieves lift $700,000 worth of gold from the French Museum of Natural History. Weeks before that, $11 million worth of porcelain was stolen from yet another museum in the city of Limoges.
This is only the latest heist to hit the Louvre. A diamond-studded sword was stolen back in 1976. Most famous of all, the Mona Lisa was lifted back in 1911. Ultimately, the world-famous portrait painting was located two years later.

MRN_251022_V1

Morning Brief: Govt Gridlock Persists, Dem ‘Shadow’ Health Alliance, & Louvre Heist Intrigue

Morning Brief: Govt Gridlock Persists, Dem ‘Shadow’ Health Agency, And Louvre Heist Intrigue

Department of Health and Human Services

Emmanuel Macron

France

Gavin Newsom

JB Pritzker

John Brennan

Media

Morning Wire

Paris

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

White House

WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans emerged from their Tuesday lunch at the White House with a message for their Democrat colleagues: they are unified, and they are on Donald Trump&#8217;s team.
“This is the fourth week of the Democrats’ shutdown, but we are all here today because your Republican team in the Senate is unified,&#8221; Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) told President Trump as he took the podium following the president&#8217;s remarks.
&#8220;Senate Republicans, House Republicans, and the President of the United States are all in favor of opening the federal government,&#8221; the Senate Majority Leader added as he gaggled with reporters outside the White House following the lunch. &#8220;You have a bunch of the people here, a united team, that believes profoundly that we need to get our government open and if Democrats want to talk about subjects, things unrelated to getting the government, we&#8217;re happy to have those conversations.&#8221;
The Rose Garden luncheon brought together the nation&#8217;s top Republicans, including the president, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, Senators Chuck Grassley, Mike Lee, Ted Cruz, Jim Banks, Tim Scott, Mitch McConnell, Ashley Moody, and many others.
<div id="attachment_989177" style="width: 885px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/thune-trump-warn-democrats-republicans-are-united-and-its-time-to-end-the-shutdown/us-politics-trump-191" rel="attachment wp-att-989177"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-989177" class="wp-image-989177 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2242055965-875x576.jpg" alt="" width="875" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2242055965-875x576.jpg 875w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2242055965-300x197.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2242055965-768x506.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2242055965.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 875px) 100vw, 875px" /></a>President Donald Trump speaks in the Rose Garden on October 21, 2025. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)</div>
Trump, who is very proud of his Rose Garden renovations, as well as his upcoming ballroom addition to the White House, acted as host for the event, touting the beauty of the outdoor space to his Republican friends, many of whom he knows very well. He also tore into Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and the Democrats in the Senate, calling for them to immediately end their resistance to the &#8220;clean, bipartisan CR and reopen our government.&#8221;
Earlier on Tuesday, Schumer had slammed the Rose Garden lunch as a &#8220;pep rally,&#8221; posting on X of his Republican colleagues: &#8220;No time to fix the healthcare crisis they created, but plenty of time for a mini pep rally with Donald Trump!&#8221;
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&#8220;From the beginning, our message has been very simple,&#8221; President Donald Trump told the gathered Republicans. &#8220;We will not be extorted on this crazy plot of theirs. &#8230; Chuck Schumer and the Senate Democrats need to vote for the clean, bipartisan CR, and reopen our government &#8230; right now.&#8221;
&#8220;We are not doing that,&#8221; added the president, speaking of the Democrats holding up the government from opening. &#8220;They are the obstructionists. And the reason they are doing it is because we are doing so well. We&#8217;re doing so well all over the world.&#8221;
Notably absent from today&#8217;s lunch was Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, whom Trump singled out.
&#8220;Everybody showed up,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We&#8217;re just missing one person.&#8221;
Paul responded to the president&#8217;s remarks on social media, saying in an X post: &#8220;I actually wasn’t invited to the White House lunch today, but that’s ok. I had a previously scheduled Liberty Caucus Lunch with [Thomas Massie].&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I actually wasn’t invited to the White House lunch today, but that’s ok I had a previously scheduled Liberty Caucus Lunch with ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/MassieforKY?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MassieforKY</a>⁩ <a href="https://t.co/7IHoQiZ3OR">pic.twitter.com/7IHoQiZ3OR</a>
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) <a href="https://twitter.com/RandPaul/status/1980684335956001002?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2025</a></blockquote>

President Trump Hosts A Rose Garden Club Lunch

Thune, Trump Warn Democrats: Republicans Are United, And It’s Time To End The Shutdown

Republicans

WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump on Wednesday <a href="https://x.com/AmberJoCooper/status/1978559530712887604">addressed</a> the ongoing government shutdown, calling Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer a &#8220;loser.&#8221;
&#8220;This is a Democrat Schumer shutdown and he’s trying to do it to get relevance back into the party because he’s a loser,&#8221; Trump said during an Oval Office press conference.
The president added that he has known Schumer &#8220;all his life.&#8221;
&#8220;He’s always been sort of a loser — but an intelligent one. I think he’s losing IQ points with time,” he continued.
Trump said that he hopes not to follow Schumer down this path, but added that, if it did, he’s confident the media would be quick to report it.
As of Wednesday, the government shutdown had entered its 15th day, with no indication of ending any time soon. In the afternoon, the Senate voted again to block the House-passed continuing resolution to reopen the government.
The vote was 51-44. The resolution needs 60 votes to pass.
Before the vote on Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said if necessary, they would vote again on Thursday.
There is growing speculation that the shutdown may not end until after the nationwide “No Kings” protests scheduled for this Saturday.
The protest is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mike-johnson-says-dems-wont-end-shutdown-until-after-no-kings-protest-internal-docs-show-he-may-be-right?author=Amber+Jo+Cooper&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Mike+Johnson+Says+Dems+Won%E2%80%99t+End+Shutdown+Until+After+%E2%80%98No+Kings%E2%80%99+Protest.+Internal+Docs+Show+He+May+Be+Right.">reportedly</a> described as a “peaceful national day of action and mass mobilization in response to the increasing authoritarian excesses and corruption of the Trump administration.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson told <a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1976625782077227332">Fox News</a> that Democrats are holding off until then, and he &#8220;can&#8217;t believe they&#8217;re actually doing this.&#8221;
&#8220;They have a Hate America rally scheduled for Oct. 18 on the National Mall. It&#8217;s all the Pro-Hamas wing, the Antifa people, they&#8217;re all coming out,&#8221; Johnson said. &#8220;It&#8217;s being told to us that they won&#8217;t be able to reopen the government until after that rally because they can&#8217;t face their rabid base.&#8221;

Trump: Schumer Is A ‘Loser’ Using The Shutdown In A Bid To ‘Get Relevance Back’

While the government remains shut down as Democrats continue to block a short-term spending bill, the Senate on Thursday approved a $925 billion defense package that scraps a Pentagon provision creating a chief DEI officer.
The annual National Defense Authorization Act, which sets the policies and priorities of the Department of War for the next fiscal year, <a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00570.htm">passed</a> 77-20. Nearly all Republicans voted for the measure, while nineteen Democrats and Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) voted against it. 
“I promised to prioritize the NDAA, and I’m glad the Senate delivered,&#8221; Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) <a href="https://x.com/LeaderJohnThune/status/1976462486678184311">announced</a> after the vote. &#8220;While I’m proud our bill authorizes a much-deserved pay raise for our troops, I’m disappointed they won’t see it — or any paycheck, for that matter — until Democrats end the Schumer Shutdown. They’re holding our troops and their families hostage for political demands.”  
The <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2296">bill</a> includes authorizing the purchase of additional aircraft, missiles, and ships; directs the Pentagon to develop a strategy for &#8220;emerging biotechnologies&#8221;; extends the Pacific Deterrence Initiative; and repeals existing DEI provisions across the military.
“We&#8217;re ready to show on both sides of the aisle that the Senate can act in the interest of national security and get something done on a bipartisan basis,” <a href="https://justthenews.com/nation/states/center-square/senate-vote-bill-authorizing-925-billion-military-national-security?utm_source=mux&amp;utm_medium=social-media&amp;utm_campaign=social-media-autopost">said</a> Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-MS). 
The House approved its $893 billion defense bill earlier this year, and lawmakers from both chambers must now hammer out a final version.
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The vote comes as the government shutdown enters the end of its second week, with repeated Senate efforts to authorize a short-term funding bill continuing to fall short. 
Thune said he may allow a vote on healthcare subsidies if Democrats agree to support the temporary funding bill. The Senate has repeatedly fallen five votes short of the total needed to reopen the government.
“None of this happens absent them voting to reopen the government,” Thune <a href="https://x.com/LeaderJohnThune/status/1976436280742519207">said</a> Thursday. “Open up the government first, quit taking it hostage, and let&#8217;s get the American people and the federal workers. Let&#8217;s get them back to work.”

Senators Hold Their Policy Luncheons At The Capitol

Democrat Shutdown Drags On As Senate OKs $925B Defense Bill

Military

NDAA

Senate

spending

As a government shutdown looms in the very near future, the topic at the forefront of discussions across the Sunday morning political talk shows was funding the government: who is holding the most leverage, who — if anyone — is willing to budge, and what will happen if they can&#8217;t come to an agreement?
For those who don&#8217;t spend their Sunday mornings glued to the television — and their Sunday afternoons attempting to dig through a week&#8217;s worth of network and cable news media spin — The Daily Wire has compiled a short summary of what you may have missed.
After previously canceling a meeting with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) — and declaring their demands for a potential deal to be &#8220;ridiculous,&#8221; Trump has reportedly agreed to a rescheduled meeting to discuss plans to avoid a shutdown. Republicans and Democrats alike addressed what such a deal might look like — and thus far, a consensus it is not.
Jeffries, for example, told ABC News host Martha Raddatz on &#8220;This Week&#8221; that he was willing to sit down with anyone who was interested in finding a path forward to funding the government.
&#8220;We&#8217;ve made clear that we&#8217;re ready, willing, and able to sit down with anyone at any time and at any place in order to make sure that we can actually fund the government,&#8221; he said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
“We&#8217;ve made clear that we&#8217;re ready, willing, and able to sit down with anyone at any time and at any place in order to make sure that we can actually fund the government,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries tells <a href="https://twitter.com/MarthaRaddatz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MarthaRaddatz</a>. <a href="https://t.co/CyT5lxgzMc">https://t.co/CyT5lxgzMc</a> <a href="https://t.co/tWvRtrkObC">pic.twitter.com/tWvRtrkObC</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/1972304860528722211?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
But in the same interview, he badmouthed the people he claimed to be ready to work with, saying they&#8217;d &#8220;behaved not as a separate and co-equal branch of government and a check and balance on an out-of-control executive branch, but as a consistent rubber stamp for Donald Trump&#8217;s extreme agenda.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Republicans have “behaved not as a separate and co-equal branch of government and a check and balance on an out-of-control executive branch, but as a consistent rubber stamp for Donald Trump&#8217;s extreme agenda,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries says. <a href="https://t.co/OKY7B0xDem">https://t.co/OKY7B0xDem</a> <a href="https://t.co/FrrprqmxbC">pic.twitter.com/FrrprqmxbC</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/1972305063549800536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
And then he flipped back, saying once again that he wanted to work with the Republicans he&#8217;d just referred to as &#8220;rubber stamps&#8221; for an &#8220;extreme agenda.&#8221;
&#8220;We want to find a bipartisan path forward and reach a spending agreement with our Republican colleagues that actually meets the needs of the American people, but that also addresses the Republican health care crisis,&#8221; he said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
“We want to find a bipartisan path forward and reach a spending agreement with our Republican colleagues that actually meets the needs of the American people, but that also addresses the Republican health care crisis,” Rep. Hakeem Jeffries says. <a href="https://t.co/OKY7B0xDem">https://t.co/OKY7B0xDem</a> <a href="https://t.co/IOdlC4TrET">pic.twitter.com/IOdlC4TrET</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/1972305251743973649?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
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House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) made it clear that he believed Republicans — who hold a slim majority — had the advantage and did not plan to make unnecessary concessions.
&#8220;I’m glad that President Trump is showing leadership in meeting with all leaders … But ultimately, those Democrats have to make a decision,&#8221; he told Raddatz, adding that he still believed there was time for them to reach a deal.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise says “there’s still time” to fund the government and avoid a shutdown.
“I’m glad that President Trump is showing leadership in meeting with all leaders … But ultimately, those Democrats have to make a decision.” <a href="https://t.co/VVmgI0y1x3">https://t.co/VVmgI0y1x3</a> <a href="https://t.co/0hmyU6JT1Y">pic.twitter.com/0hmyU6JT1Y</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/1972314405963510038?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
On CBS, &#8220;Face the Nation&#8221; opened with a statement from President Trump — who said that unless Democrats are willing to move on several key issues, the government is likely to shut down.
&#8220;I just don’t know how we are going to solve this issue,&#8221; he said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW THIS MORNING: President Trump tells <a href="https://twitter.com/costareports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@costareports</a> the government is likely to shut down this week unless top Democrats address his concerns on immigration and health care, and says both parties are now at a stalemate.
“I just don’t know how we are going to solve this issue,”… <a href="https://t.co/VdLXd7Qxl0">pic.twitter.com/VdLXd7Qxl0</a>
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation/status/1972313362793943395?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
On NBC&#8217;s &#8220;Meet the Press,&#8221; Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) made it clear that Republicans did not plan to give an inch — and that Democrats were just going to have to come around.
&#8220;The choice remains the same: Democrats can either vote for a clean, short-term, nonpartisan CR that prioritizes the American people, or they can choose a completely avoidable shutdown that prioritizes politics above all else,&#8221; he said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The choice remains the same: Democrats can either vote for a clean, short-term, nonpartisan CR that prioritizes the American people, or they can choose a completely avoidable shutdown that prioritizes politics above all else. <a href="https://t.co/ESOndRHAO9">pic.twitter.com/ESOndRHAO9</a>
— Leader John Thune (@LeaderJohnThune) <a href="https://twitter.com/LeaderJohnThune/status/1972326146139467887?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Schumer, who has apparently learned his lesson after he worked with Republicans to avert the last potential government shutdown, also appeared on the NBC Sunday morning show and insisted that Republicans were &#8220;feeling the heat&#8221; and would soon give in to Democrats&#8217; demands.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Republican Senators, Representatives, and even Donald Trump are feeling the heat to do something about the horrible health care crisis they’ve created. <a href="https://t.co/20SG3sKiX1">pic.twitter.com/20SG3sKiX1</a>
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenSchumer/status/1972349160717205796?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined host Jake Tapper on CNN&#8217;s &#8220;State of the Union,&#8221; where he called on members of his party to &#8220;hold the line.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen calls on his party to “hold the line” in government funding fight. <a href="https://t.co/0nn9wg5v7w">pic.twitter.com/0nn9wg5v7w</a>
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNSOTU/status/1972311184863813768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Van Hollen, who made a name for himself when he left his own constituents twisting in the wind while he flew to El Salvador to advocate for a deported MS-13 gang member, then snarked at President Trump and suggested he&#8217;d previously refused to meet with congressional leaders because he was too busy golfing.
&#8220;It&#8217;s good to see the president finally get off the golf course and decide to talk,&#8221; he said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen on Trump’s meeting with Democratic leaders ahead of shutdown deadline: “It&#8217;s good to see the president finally get off the golf course and decide to talk.” <a href="https://t.co/gjjckTkaZa">pic.twitter.com/gjjckTkaZa</a>
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNSOTU/status/1972311038612643938?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Trump explained days earlier that he&#8217;d <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/do-the-right-thing-trump-axes-meeting-with-radical-dems-calls-for-realistic-terms">called off a planned meeting</a> because the demands put forth by the Democrats at the time had been unrealistic.

Spin Cycle: Will They Or Won’t They (Shut Everything Down)?

Spin Cycle: Will They Or Won't They (Shut Everything Down)?

ABC News

CBS News

Charles Schumer

Chris Van Hollen

Hakeem Jeffries

NBC News

Steve Scalise

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.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="ICE Facility Assault &amp; Government Funding Standoff" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5NJbw8GV1NY?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
If you would rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ice-facility-assault-government-funding-standoff-9-25-25/id1576594336?i=1000728365797" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<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.
&nbsp;

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Morning Brief: Dallas ICE Attack, Housing Bailout Sparks Racial Lawsuits & D.C.’s Budget Standoff

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The Republican-led Senate confirmed 48 of President Donald Trump&#8217;s remaining nominees for below-cabinet-level federal positions, moving ahead with what&#8217;s called an &#8220;en bloc&#8221; nominee package after Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) invoked the nuclear option.
The bloc of 48 nominees confirmed on Thursday included a number of lower level War Department positions — and several ambassadorships including those held by Kimberly Guilfoyle and Callista Gingrich — and passed 51-47 along party lines.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
48 NOMINEES: CONFIRMED TODAY ✅<a href="https://twitter.com/SenateGOP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenateGOP</a> ended liberal obstruction and CHANGED the Senate rules to get <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>’ sub-cabinet noms in place (in groups) and speed up the process.
We just confirmed the first “en bloc” nominee package of 48.
More to come. 👇 <a href="https://t.co/Dg4oxsrHCl">pic.twitter.com/Dg4oxsrHCl</a>
— Markwayne Mullin (@SenMullin) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenMullin/status/1968789762707218693?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Thune promised to move forward with the nuclear option a week earlier, saying that Democrats had stonewalled the process long enough.
Quoting Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/senate-republicans-implement-plan-to-push-through-federal-nominees-as-shutdown-looms">Thune</a> said that it was unacceptable for nominees to be blocked unless there was a legitimate reason or concern that made it necessary.
Thune also pointed out the fact that all of the 48 nominees in the first bloc had actually been approved out of committee — with bipartisan support — and were only being blocked in the full Senate.
The Senate Democrats, he said at the time, were intentionally stalling the process by refusing to allow the nominees to be confirmed by voice vote or unanimous consent, as is traditionally done with civilian nominees.
One major nominee who did not make it through on Thursday was former Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL), whose nomination to serve as Ambassador to the United Nations is still pending. Democrats succeeded in recent weeks in having Waltz’s nomination sent back to committee.

The 2024 Republican National Convention

48 Trump Nominees Confirmed In One Vote After Senate Goes To Nuclear Option

Mike Waltz

Senate GOP

President Donald Trump is heading to the United Nations next week for a monumental foreign policy speech to world leaders, and unless the Republican-led U.S. Senate goes into hyperdrive, he&#8217;ll do it with a Biden administration official as his UN ambassador.
Trump nominated former congressman Mike Waltz to represent the United States at the United Nations nearly four months ago, and his nomination passed out of committee — for the second time — on Wednesday morning, leaving only a full Senate vote between Waltz and confirmation. But with a packed legislative schedule and a wall of obstruction from Senate Democrats, many doubt the vote will take place in time to have him ready to go.
If Waltz isn&#8217;t confirmed, Trump&#8217;s speech will be carried out with <a href="https://usun.usmission.gov/ambassador-dorothy-camille-shea/">Dorothy Shea</a>, who was nominated by President Joe Biden and confirmed last summer, as the acting ambassador. Jason Miller, one of Trump&#8217;s closest advisors outside of the White House, says that should be unacceptable, and Republicans should make his confirmation a top priority.
&#8220;Schumer and the Democrats have intentionally obstructed Senate action on the president’s nominees, the majority leader has the power to keep the Senate in session to assure that Mike Waltz and the president’s team are seated at the United Nations ahead of next week’s meeting of the General Assembly — and he should do so,” Miller told The Daily Wire.
Asked about the Waltz nomination, the White House reiterated the urgency to have his team in place.
“President Trump has been clear that he wants all of his nominees confirmed as quickly as possible,” a White House official told The Daily Wire.
Republican Majority Leader John Thune&#8217;s office wouldn&#8217;t comment specifically on efforts to confirm Waltz by Monday, but said it shares Trump&#8217;s urgency.
“Not only do we share the White House’s goal of confirming the president’s team as quickly as possible, we’ve demonstrated it — confirming the Cabinet at the fastest pace in 20 years and recently breaking the Democrats’ historic nominations blockade, which will allow us to begin clearing the mounting backlog,” a spokeswoman for Thune said.
Thune has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/senate-republicans-implement-plan-to-push-through-federal-nominees-as-shutdown-looms">implemented plans</a> to break the Democrat blockade. His procedural change allows for an unlimited number of federal nominations to be approved “en bloc” — simultaneously — so long as they were not judicial or cabinet-level positions.
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/senate-republicans-implement-plan-to-push-through-federal-nominees-as-shutdown-looms">Senate Republicans Implement Plan To Push Through Federal Nominees As Shutdown Looms</a>
But this doesn&#8217;t apply to the United Nations post, the most prominent unfilled cabinet post in the Trump administration. It was originally slated to be filled by New York congresswoman Elise Stefanik, who stepped aside during the confirmation process to return to Congress and bolster the Republican majority. Waltz was tapped by Trump in May after a stint as the president&#8217;s top foreign policy advisor in the White House.
Trump&#8217;s appearance comes as he works to negotiate a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, as well as an end to Israel&#8217;s war on Hamas in Gaza. Trump has been a juggernaut on the world stage, and has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for his work to negotiate the end of conflicts around the world.
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pax-trumpana-trumps-resume-for-winning-the-nobel-peace-prize">Pax Trumpana: Trump’s Nobel Peace Prize Resume</a>
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has taken the lead on the United Nations ahead of the general assembly. Rubio <a href="http://dailywire.com/news/rubio-bars-mahmoud-abbas-from-entering-u-s-ahead-of-palestinian-statehood-push-at-un">blocked Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas</a> from entering the country, in anticipation of a push for Palestinian statehood at the gathering of world leaders.
Republicans almost certainly have the votes to confirm Waltz when the vote takes place. His nomination was delayed by Democrats, who managed to get Waltz and a handful of other nominees sent back to committee. He was approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee despite a &#8220;no&#8221; vote from Republican senator Rand Paul.
Waltz has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/make-the-un-great-again-waltz-challenges-antisemitism-china-favoritism-at-united-nations">pledged</a> to &#8220;Make the UN Great Again,&#8221; if confirmed.

President Trump Meets With NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte In The Oval Office Of The White House

Trump Heads To The UN Next Week. Will He Have His UN Ambassador?

U.S. Senate

With just three weeks to go before the federal government runs out of money, Senate Republicans have taken steps toward a rule change that would at least allow them to navigate around Democratic roadblocks and push through a number of stalled federal nominations.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), as <a href="https://punchbowl.news/article/house/gop-need-shutdown-plan/">reported</a> by Punchbowl News, kick-started the process on Monday that would allow for an unlimited number of federal nominations to be approved “en bloc” — simultaneously — so long as they were not judicial or cabinet-level positions.
The outlet’s Andrew Desiderio explained on Monday, “Thune will file a resolution tonight that’ll include dozens of bipartisan noms awaiting confirmation. He’ll file cloture tomorrow, setting up Thurs vote at 60-vote threshold which will fail, at which point R’s will vote to overrule the chair. Vote on the res next Monday &#8230; Once the resolution is passed, Thune will file cloture on the bloc of nominees, setting up the first vote for next Wednesday. That’ll be the first time R’s will use the new rules to confirm a huge batch of Trump nominees simultaneously.”
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Once the resolution is passed, Thune will file cloture on the bloc of nominees, setting up the first vote for next Wednesday. That’ll be the first time R’s will use the new rules to confirm a huge batch of Trump nominees simultaneously.
— Andrew Desiderio (@AndrewDesiderio) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewDesiderio/status/1965146114929414512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Desiderio then shared the list of 48 nominees named in Thune’s resolution — which included eleven War Department positions, five ambassadorships, and a host of other positions across multiple departments — and noted that all of them had already passed with bipartisan support in their respective committees.
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Here are the 48 (!) nominees listed in Thune’s resolution. Includes Kimberly Guilfoyle, who was nominated for U.S. ambassador to Greece
All of these were approved w/ bipartisan support in committee <a href="https://t.co/pVu7XPwn1d">https://t.co/pVu7XPwn1d</a> <a href="https://t.co/tbN3oBiIVg">pic.twitter.com/tbN3oBiIVg</a>
— Andrew Desiderio (@AndrewDesiderio) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewDesiderio/status/1965205928271376659?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Thune called out the Democrats for stonewalling President Donald Trump’s nominees from the Senate floor on Monday before filing the resolution, arguing that as former Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) had previously said, nominees should only be held up or blocked for “legitimate” purposes.
Noting that Democrats were supporting the nominees in committee and on the final votes, they were intentionally stalling the process by refusing to allow the nominees to be confirmed by voice vote or unanimous consent, as is traditionally done with civilian nominees.
WATCH:
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Democrats have destroyed Senate precedent, and we’re going to fix it.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenateGOP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenateGOP</a> will ensure that in the future, duly elected presidents are able to get their teams in places without unnecessary delay so that they can fulfill their responsibilities to the American people. <a href="https://t.co/wYw7l2XNjd">pic.twitter.com/wYw7l2XNjd</a>
— Leader John Thune (@LeaderJohnThune) <a href="https://twitter.com/LeaderJohnThune/status/1965140905100513469?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Republican Lawmakers Work To Pass Trump’s “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” On Capitol Hill

Senate Republicans Implement Plan To Push Through Federal Nominees As Shutdown Looms

Senate Republicans Implement Plan To Push Federal Nominees As Shutdown Looms

Senate Republicans

The GOP-led Senate began its August recess on Saturday evening after President Donald Trump condemned a potential deal between Republicans and Democrats on confirming his nominees.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114961522912167613" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) had been &#8220;demanding&#8221; more than $1 billion in exchange for Democrats not impeding the process of confirming a &#8220;small number&#8221; of his &#8220;highly qualified&#8221; nominees.
&#8220;This demand is egregious and unprecedented, and would be embarrassing to the Republican Party if it were accepted. It is political extortion, by any other name. Tell Schumer, who is under tremendous political pressure from within his own party, the Radical Left Lunatics, to GO TO HELL!&#8221; Trump exclaimed.
Trump also gave his blessing to Senate Republicans to begin the August recess, a change in tune by the president who had been pressing Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) to stay in Washington, D.C., and keep confirming his nominees in the face of delay tactics.
&#8220;Do not accept the offer, go home and explain to your constituents what bad people the Democrats are, and what a great job the Republicans are doing, and have done, for our Country,&#8221; the president added. &#8220;Have a great RECESS and, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!&#8221;
The Democrats had sought to unfreeze more than $1 billion in money for the National Institutes of Health and foreign aid, as well as a pledge for no more rescissions packages to claw back funds that have already been allocated by Congress, according to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-tells-schumer-go-hell-over-senate-nominee-deal-funding-demands-after-negotiations-collapse" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News</a>.
&#8220;Let me clear what happened: Donald Trump attempted to steamroll the Senate to put in place his historically unqualified nominees. But Senate Democrats wouldn’t let him,&#8221; Schumer <a href="https://x.com/SenSchumer/status/1951818011523924234" target="_blank" rel="noopener">declared</a> in a post on X.
Senators <a href="https://x.com/CraigCaplan/status/1951802628465361130" target="_blank" rel="noopener">agreed</a> to have pro forma sessions every few days during the August recess, preventing any recess appointments, and not return for votes until September 2. The House, which is also controlled by Republicans, already broke off for the summer.
The Senate did confirm a number of Trump&#8217;s nominees before leaving town, including a vote to keep Jeanine Pirro as U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, and <a href="https://x.com/LeaderJohnThune/status/1951670915214758045" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed</a> some fiscal 2026 appropriations bills ahead of the September 30 deadline.
&#8220;Very proud of our great Republican Senators for fighting, over the Weekend and far beyond, if necessary, in order to get my great Appointments approved, and on their way to helping us MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114961147474079611" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in another post on Truth Social.
He further exclaimed that &#8220;Radical Left Democrat Senators are doing everything possible to DELAY these wonderful and talented people from being approved,&#8221; and stated, &#8220;Thank you to Senator John Thune and our Republican Warriors in the Senate.&#8221;

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY)

Trump Blesses Senate Recess, Blasts Schumer’s ‘Extortion’ Tactics

Presidential nomination

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