Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) made it clear on Thursday that he would not be surprised to see more damaging information come out about Maine&#8217;s Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner.
Fetterman, when asked whether he was &#8220;concerned&#8221; that Platner might be at the center of additional scandals, pointed out the fact that Platner — who assured Senate Democrats earlier in the week that there would be no additional allegations against him — had been dishonest about some of what had already been revealed.
WATCH:
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NEW: Senator John Fetterman slams fellow Democrat and embattled Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner following a string of damaging personal controversies.
&#8220;Well, he lied to everybody. He said that there wasn&#8217;t any after his Nazi tattoo situation, and now there&#8217;s more and more… <a href="https://t.co/bacJZN8fl8">pic.twitter.com/bacJZN8fl8</a>
— Fox News (@FoxNews) <a href="https://x.com/FoxNews/status/2062573608350744741?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Are you concerned that there&#8217;s more to drop?&#8221; one reporter asked.
&#8220;Well, he lied to everybody,&#8221; Fetterman said. &#8220;He said that there wasn&#8217;t any after his Nazi tattoo situation, and now there&#8217;s more and more other things. So he&#8217;s already lied about that.&#8221;
&#8220;So I assume, you know, it&#8217;s like they say, for every ranch you see in Texas, there&#8217;s 50 that you haven&#8217;t seen. So I&#8217;m sure there&#8217;s plenty — a lot of more ranches in P-Hustle&#8217;s life,&#8221; Fetterman added.
Platner, who went by the name &#8220;P-Hustle&#8221; on Reddit, has been the center of several scandals, ranging from his now-covered Nazi-inspired tattoo to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/platner-promises-dem-senators-there-will-be-no-new-accusations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sexually explicit</a> text messages sent to several women while he was married. He has also faced backlash for a number of comments he posted on Reddit — some of which were vulgar and at least one in which he mocked and derided a wounded combat veteran and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/didnt-deserve-to-live-leftist-candidate-appears-to-mock-wounded-soldier-in-resurfaced-post">Purple Heart recipient</a>.
The Maine Democrat, who was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/i-am-still-on-the-ballot-janet-mills-reappears-as-platner-stumbles">leading</a> Gov. Janet Mills (D-ME) in the primary before she suspended her campaign, is set to face off against incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in November.

Sen. John Fetterman

‘He Lied To Everybody’: Fetterman Says Graham Platner Saga Isn’t Over

'He Lied to Everybody': Fetterman Says Graham Platner Saga Isn't Over

Congress

graham platner

John Fetterman

Maine

nazi tattoo

Politics

Reddit

Senate Democrats

Sex Scandal

Susan Collins

Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner sought to reassure nervous Senate Democrats on Tuesday that no new allegations are waiting to emerge from his past, as party leaders increasingly worry that a steady stream of controversies could jeopardize one of their best opportunities to flip a Republican-held Senate seat.
During a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/i-am-still-on-the-ballot-janet-mills-reappears-as-platner-stumbles?author=Drew+Berkemeyer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=5&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98I+Am+Still+On+The+Ballot%E2%80%99%3A+Janet+Mills+Reappears+As+Platner+Stumbles">private meeting</a> with Democratic senators in Washington, Platner was asked directly whether additional damaging revelations were likely to surface in the coming weeks. According to reporting from <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/senators-privately-ask-platner-whether-new-allegations-will-emerge-412891de">The Wall Street Journal</a>, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), one of Platner&#8217;s earliest and most prominent supporters, pressed the candidate on whether more accusations were coming.
Platner&#8217;s answer was unequivocal. &#8220;There aren&#8217;t any,&#8221; Platner reportedly told the group.
The exchange highlighted the increasingly defensive posture surrounding Platner&#8217;s campaign as Democrats scramble to contain fallout from a series of controversies that have dominated headlines just days before Maine&#8217;s Democratic primary.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), who attended the meeting alongside Sanders, reportedly followed up by drawing a distinction between marital misconduct and more serious allegations involving sexual assault. According to attendees, Platner agreed and insisted that no credible allegations of sexual assault were forthcoming.
&#8220;It&#8217;s not a secret I&#8217;ve had a messy, complicated life,&#8221; Platner told senators, according to one person familiar with the discussion. &#8220;The worst of the rumors we&#8217;ve all heard are not true.&#8221; The meeting took place at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee&#8217;s headquarters and provided an opportunity for Platner to address growing concerns among Democratic lawmakers who have watched his campaign be engulfed by one controversy after another.
Over the weekend, reports revealed that Platner had exchanged sexually explicit text messages with multiple women after marrying his wife, Amy Gertner, in 2023. While Platner has disputed portions of the reporting, his campaign has acknowledged that the messages themselves were real.
The revelations added to a growing list of politically damaging stories that have followed the first-time candidate throughout the race. Earlier this year, Platner faced scrutiny over a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol that he later covered up. Old social media posts and Reddit comments resurfaced showing him making inflammatory remarks, including comments praising aspects of fascism and insulting American service members.
More recently, it was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/see-it-graham-platner-has-active-profile-on-predators-paradise-messaging-app">revealed</a> that Platner maintained an account on Kik, a messaging platform frequently criticized by child-safety advocates and law enforcement officials because of its association with sexual exploitation cases. Despite the mounting controversies, many Democrats appear determined to stick with Platner because of the political stakes involved.
Maine remains one of the few Republican-held Senate seats Democrats view as a realistic pickup opportunity in 2026. With Republicans holding a narrow Senate majority, party strategists see defeating incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) as critical to any path back to control of the chamber.
That reality has created an uncomfortable dynamic for many Democrats who have expressed concerns about Platner&#8217;s personal conduct while simultaneously concluding that abandoning him would damage the party&#8217;s chances in November.
Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT), who attended Tuesday&#8217;s meeting, acknowledged lingering uncertainty afterward. &#8220;I have no idea&#8221; whether more revelations could emerge, Welch told reporters. He added that Platner had been &#8220;very explicit&#8221; in accepting voters&#8217; right to ask questions about his personal life.
Others emerged from the meeting more confident. &#8220;I didn&#8217;t go in needing assurance and I left feeling confident,&#8221; Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) said afterward, describing herself as &#8220;excited&#8221; about Platner&#8217;s candidacy. The meetings extended beyond Senate Democrats. Platner also met privately with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who had previously backed Maine Democratic Gov. Janet Mills before she suspended her campaign in April.
The timing of the reassurance campaign is notable. Just one day earlier, Mills reminded voters that she technically remains on the ballot despite ending active campaigning months ago. &#8220;People have the impression that I withdrew or dropped out,&#8221; Mills said Monday. &#8220;I simply suspended active campaigning.&#8221; While Mills has shown no indication she plans to restart her campaign, her comments underscored the anxiety surrounding Platner&#8217;s candidacy and the search by some Democrats for alternatives.
For now, however, Democratic leaders appear to be rallying behind their embattled nominee-in-waiting. Whether Platner&#8217;s promise that no additional accusations are coming proves accurate may determine not only the future of his campaign, but also Democrats&#8217; chances of reclaiming a Senate seat they view as one of their most important targets of the 2026 cycle.

Democratic Senate Candidate For Maine Graham Platner Campaigns Around The State

Platner Promises Dem Senators There Will Be No New Accusations

Maine Democrats

After uncovering a billion-dollar fraud scheme in Ohio, Daily Wire reporter Luke Rosiak testified on Capitol Hill this week, expecting bipartisan concern, but Democrats didn’t offer it. 
Rosiak testified before the Senate Small Business Committee on Wednesday during a hearing dominated by Republican lawmakers. The only Democrat in attendance was Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), whose presence was required as the minority ranking member. 
Rosiak later quipped, “The hearing room may as well have been a learing center with the number of Democrats who showed up today,” referencing a misspelled sign outside a suspected fraudulent daycare in Minnesota. 
In his opening statement, Markey argued that the Trump administration’s recent anti-fraud initiatives have disproportionately targeted blue states, completely ignoring the fact that Rosiak just uncovered $1 billion in alleged Medicaid fraud in a red state. Markey declined to question Rosiak or any of the Republican witnesses, instead focusing his remarks on criticizing President Donald Trump.
“I agree we should be doing more to prevent fraud,” said Markey. “But we should also be focusing on the Trump-sized hole in the American people’s pockets. We should address rising gas prices, electricity costs, healthcare premiums, food prices, but instead the instances of fraud that congressional Republicans and this administration choose to focus on are solely to secure political points demonizing communities of color and attacking blue states.” 
Markey also chose not to comment on testimony from Faye Bernstein, a compliance specialist for the Minnesota Department of Human Services and a self-described lifelong Democrat. Bernstein testified that she began questioning members of her own party after raising fraud concerns and being “labeled a racist.” 
On Thursday, Rosiak <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-daily-wire-investigator-called-to-testify-on-findings-in-ohio?row=1&amp;elementPosition=9&amp;rowType=Web+Search">participated</a> in an anti-fraud roundtable hosted by the Republican Study Committee. 
Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) kicked off the meeting praising Rosiak “for doing absolutely phenomenal work, uncovering a massive fraud scheme.” He added that the most amazing part was that Rosiak did it all through publicly available data. The committee discussed increasing data transparency to allow greater public access. 
Asked by The Daily Wire where the responsibility for fraud oversight should fall between Congress and investigative journalists, Gill said lawmakers should focus on using “the power of the purse” to ensure taxpayer dollars are not improperly distributed in the first place.
Rep. Michael Cloud (R-TX) echoed that criticism, arguing that Congress is a system with warped incentives. 
“We measure effectiveness too often by how much money goes out the door, as opposed to, is it going to where it was intended and is it accomplishing what it was supposed to accomplish.”
Rosiak&#8217;s investigation focused in part on Ohio&#8217;s rapidly expanding home healthcare industry.
Rosiak found that Ohio spent roughly $1 billion on home healthcare services in 2024 alone, much of it through loosely monitored Medicaid programs that allow relatives to receive taxpayer funding for providing in-home “personal services” such as cooking, cleaning, and companionship.
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His investigation uncovered entire office buildings filled with Medicaid-billing home health companies, many run by individuals with little or no healthcare background, and in some cases histories of fraud, unpaid debts, or criminal convictions.
Rosiak partly blames weak certification standards for the problem, as the program requires a licensed professional to certify that a patient needs assistance around the house.
&#8220;It only takes one doctor who will say yes to churn out enough forms to bankrupt a state,&#8221; Rosiak said.
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Spending Bill – Government Shutdown – Debt Ceiling

Democrats Skip Hearing On Billion-Dollar Fraud Scheme Uncovered By Daily Wire

Fraud

Medicaid Millionaires

Between lengthy TSA lines and increased concerns about national security threats amid the conflict with Iran, conservative experts told The Daily Wire that there are serious risks associated with the continued shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, as talks in Washington stall.
DHS has faced a lapse in funding since Feb. 14, as Democrats and Republicans are at odds on federal immigration enforcement tactics, despite Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection already being heavily funded through the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” last year. Still, other agencies under DHS like TSA, FEMA, and the Coast Guard are unfunded.
“We’re dealing with a heightened threat environment right now, and we need the federal government security capabilities to be firing on all cylinders,” Nathan Sales, former special presidential envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIS, said.
“If you’re a Hezbollah operative and you want to carry out an attack in the United States, you have to cross the border, and that’s a DHS responsibility,” he noted, later adding that “this is not the time to be playing politics with national security.”
Sales specifically highlighted the risks of FEMA not having the money it needs to fully operate.
“What happens if, God forbid, there is a terrorist incident on American soil and we need an immediate federal response to that,” Sales asked. “It’s not a great time for FEMA to be sitting on the sidelines either.”
Meanwhile, Garrett Exner, an adjunct fellow at the Hudson Institute focusing on terrorism, national security, and defense, slammed the lack of funding for TSA as “insane,” saying &#8220;it&#8217;s not a good faith argument&#8221; for Democrats to use the other agencies under DHS as leverage for immigration reform.
“We have 11 million people that came here, and we don’t know who they are, and ICE is doing the legal business of moving those people out of the country, and Democrats are trying to stop that. They’re trying to slow it down,” Exner said, referencing the Biden-era border crisis.
Recent incidents like the attempted <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-york-city-in-heightened-state-of-alert-after-saturdays-attack?author=Brecca+Stoll&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=New+York+City+In+%E2%80%98Heightened+State+of+Alert%E2%80%99+After+Saturday%E2%80%99s+Attack" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ISIS-style terrorist attack</a> outside the New York City mayoral residence, along with the Southwest Airlines flight bomb threat over the weekend, are also sparking concerns, according to Lora Ries, the director of The Heritage Foundation’s Border Security and Immigration Center.
“The House passed the DHS funding bill last week, so now it’s down to the Senate, and Senate Democrats are playing chicken with terrorists in this country,” Ries said, adding that it’s a “dereliction of duty by refusing to fund securing our homeland.”
In addition, the FBI is currently investigating the Austin, Texas, bar shooting from March 1 as a possible act of terrorism, as the alleged shooter was wearing a “Property of Allah” hoodie and a pro-Iran shirt.
Outside of the security risks, those who are essential workers, like TSA agents, are now working without pay, which will likely lead to a higher number of callouts at airports nationwide.
“They’re not getting rich doing these jobs. They live paycheck to paycheck,” Ken Cuccinelli, a former top Homeland Security official during the first Trump administration, pointed out regarding TSA, as shutdowns can “dissuade people from doing those jobs.”
Cuccinelli noted potential for the shutdown to hurt “morale” within DHS, and it could also create a ripple effect as FEMA responds to disasters like the recent Potomac River sewage spill.
TSA and other essential workers, like air traffic controllers, also bore the brunt of the 43-day-long full federal government shutdown last fall, which was triggered by Democrats pushing for an extension of the Affordable Care Act’s pandemic-era subsidies, but no permanent deal on the subsidies was ultimately reached. The remainder of the federal government is fully funded through September.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem will be leaving her role at the department at the end of the month amid multiple controversies, and President Donald Trump plans to replace her with Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK). However, Noem&#8217;s ouster is not considered enough to warrant a deal with Senate Democrats.
&#8220;I’ve been asked if I would support Sen. Mullin as Noem’s replacement. The answer is a resounding NO. The rot in DHS is deep, much deeper than any individual. It’s a question of policy not personnel. The Senate should not consider any DHS Secretary nominee until DHS and ICE are reined in,&#8221; Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) posted to X last week.

Denver International Airport scenes

Top National Security Experts Warn Dems ‘Playing Chicken With Terrorists’

Chuck Schumer

Immigration

National Security

Terrorism

U.S. Senate

Secretary of State Marco Rubio jabbed at his former colleagues on Wednesday, saying that Senate Democrats were going to malign and second-guess President Donald Trump&#8217;s actions in Venezuela no matter what.
Rubio, flanked by War Secretary Pete Hegseth, responded to a reporter who said that Democrats on Capitol Hill had said the Trump administration was &#8220;winging it&#8221; with regard to Saturday&#8217;s attack on Venezuela and the simultaneous arrest and extradition of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 REPORTER: Dems say you&#8217;re WINGING Venezuela, you have no plan!
SEC. MARCO RUBIO: &#8220;Yeah, I know. They&#8217;re gonna say that. I used to be a senator too! That&#8217;s what you ALWAYS say!&#8221; 😂
&#8220;It&#8217;s not just speculating what&#8217;s gonna happen &#8211; IT&#8217;S ALREADY HAPPENING.&#8221; 🔥
WE LOVE MARCO <a href="https://t.co/dFiT7QF9ZK">pic.twitter.com/dFiT7QF9ZK</a>
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2008943109930143834?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Hegseth appeared to have a good idea of what was coming, and could be seen ducking his head slightly and smiling in the background as the reporter asked the question.
&#8220;Yeah, I know. They&#8217;re gonna say that. I used to be a senator too! That&#8217;s what you always say when it&#8217;s the other party,&#8221; Rubio explained — and then said that the same people accusing him of &#8220;winging it&#8221; had actually been filled in on exactly what was happening.
&#8220;The bottom line is we&#8217;ve gone into great detail with them about the planning, we&#8217;ve described it to them, in fact, it&#8217;s not just winging it. It&#8217;s not just saying or speculating what&#8217;s gonna happen, it&#8217;s already happening. Like the oil arrangement that we&#8217;ve made with PDVSA (Petróleos de Venezuela, SA) on their sanctioned oil that they can&#8217;t move — understand, they are not generating any revenue from their oil right now. They can&#8217;t move it unless we allow it to move because we have sanctions, because we&#8217;re enforcing those sanctions.&#8221;
&#8220;This is tremendous leverage,&#8221; Rubio continued, saying that the way things were playing out would ultimately benefit everyone involved, including both the Venezuelan people and any American interests.

Secretary Marco Rubio Meets With Ecuadoran Foreign Affairs Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld

Rubio Torches Democrats Who Say He’s ‘Winging It’ On Venezuela: ‘I Used To Be A Senator Too’

Marco Rubio

Venezuela

Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) revealed on Monday that her office had terminated a staffer who&#8217;d been accused of impersonating an attorney and pretending to represent previously deported illegal alien, Jose Ismael Ayuzo Sandoval, who was apprehended in Staunton, Illinois.
According to a report shared by Fox News National Correspondent Bill Melugin, the staffer embarked upon the charade while interacting with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials in an effort to get the illegal alien in question — who&#8217;d been deported four times and had a DUI conviction — out of federal custody.
&#8220;Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) notifies ICE she has fired a staffer who was accused by ICE of pretending to be the attorney of a previously deported illegal alien in an effort to free him from federal custody. Duckworth tells ICE in letter that she was not aware of, and didn’t authorize or direct the staffer’s conduct,&#8221; Melugin posted along with a photo of a letter Duckworth sent to acting ICE Director Todd Lyons.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
BREAKING: Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) notifies ICE she has fired a staffer who was accused by ICE of pretending to be the attorney of a previously deported illegal alien in an effort to free him from federal custody. Duckworth tells ICE in letter that she was not aware of, and… <a href="https://t.co/Bg0UFzy9x5">pic.twitter.com/Bg0UFzy9x5</a>
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillMelugin_/status/1990516737843109994?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Dear Acting Director Lyons,&#8221; Duckworth&#8217;s letter began. &#8220;I am writing in response to your November 12, 2025 letter regarding interactions between an employee of my Senate Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in the St. Louis ICE Field Office.&#8221;
&#8220;Upon reviewing the matter, I can confirm that neither I nor my leadership team was aware of, authorized or directed what your letter described as the employee&#8217;s conduct,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;My office has terminated the employment of said employee, effective November 17, 2025.&#8221;
The Department of Homeland Security went public with the accusation on November 12, as Duckworth noted, and shared some information about what the staffer had done.
&#8220;This @SenDuckworth staff member allegedly claimed to be the lawyer of a 40-year-old illegal immigrant who had been deported to Mexico 4 times and had a DUI conviction, in order to seek his release from custody. He accomplished this by falsifying an official Department of Homeland Security form. We look forward to a response from Senator Duckworth,&#8221; DHS posted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This <a href="https://twitter.com/SenDuckworth?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenDuckworth</a> staff member allegedly claimed to be the lawyer of a 40-year-old illegal immigrant who had been deported to Mexico 4 times and had a DUI conviction, in order to seek his release from custody. He accomplished this by falsifying an official Department of Homeland… <a href="https://t.co/R3ggCwolE6">pic.twitter.com/R3ggCwolE6</a>
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHSgov/status/1988686099334500776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The Daily Wire&#8217;s Jennie Taer followed up with additional information a short time later, adding, &#8220;DHS tells me that the Duckworth staffer was posing as a lawyer to get Jose Isemal Ayuzo Sandoval, who was deported four times before and has a DUI conviction. &#8216;On October 29, 2025, ICE arrested Ayuzo in Staunton, IL. He was transferred to ICE St. Louis for processing where a Duckworth staffer allegedly tried to remove him from ICE custody by claiming to be his attorney,'&#8221; she said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
DHS tells me that the Duckworth staffer was posing as a lawyer to get Jose Isemal Ayuzo Sandoval, who was deported four times before and has a DUI conviction.
&#8220;On October 29, 2025, ICE arrested Ayuzo in Staunton, IL. He was transferred to ICE St. Louis for processing where a… <a href="https://t.co/51MKTofg25">https://t.co/51MKTofg25</a> <a href="https://t.co/IteUO0fBze">pic.twitter.com/IteUO0fBze</a>
— Jennie Taer (@JennieSTaer) <a href="https://twitter.com/JennieSTaer/status/1988730254307770501?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Senate Lawmakers Speak To The Media After Their Weekly Policy Luncheons

Democrat Staffer Accused Of Pretending To Be Attorney For Previously Deported Illegal

Illegal Immigration

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Tammy Duckworth

Sunny Hostin used her time on Monday&#8217;s broadcast of &#8220;The View&#8221; to blame Republicans for the government shutdown — which was caused by Democrats who refused to vote for a clean Continuing Resolution (CR) — and trash Democrats for voting to reopen the government.
Hostin joined her cohosts on the ABC midday talk show, where she complained about the fact that eight Democrats had voted to reopen the government and called for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to be replaced as a party leader.
Cohost Whoopi Goldberg, earlier in the conversation, conceded that Democrats were using the shutdown to force Republicans into submission — but she also admitted that it had not worked. She then attempted to stir up panic by claiming that people who were due back pay when the shutdown officially ends might not get it.
&#8220;So surprise me and show me that this is really that people are going to get their money. That people are going to get the money that they are entitled to,&#8221; she said. &#8220;Federal workers and reinstate snap benefits but a 50-50 chance of extending the subsidies, I don&#8217;t believe it.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Desperate to cling to a narrative that was just shattered, Sunny Hostin is still insisting that Republicans were the ones who shut down the government and RAGES at Democrats for giving in:
&#8220;This was a choice by Republicans to cut SNAP benefits! This was a choice by Republicans… <a href="https://t.co/q3DtEjLOKd">pic.twitter.com/q3DtEjLOKd</a>
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) <a href="https://twitter.com/NickFondacaro/status/1987918961434882519?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Hostin followed that by dismissing the facts outright and replacing them with her own personal assessment of the way things had gone down.
&#8220;Look, let&#8217;s be clear. Republicans run the House, the Republicans run the Senate, the Republicans run the White House, the Republicans run the Supreme Court as far as I&#8217;m concerned,&#8221; Hostin said, failing to note that to pass the Senate, Republicans needed 60 votes and could not get that without Democrats. &#8220;This was a choice by Republicans to cut SNAP benefits! This was a choice by Republicans to cut ACA subsidies! This was a choice by the Republicans to gut the federal government and federal employment! Democrats had nothing to do with it! I want an opposition party! I think the Democrats caved! I think the Democrats let down the American people!&#8221;
&#8220;So, the bottom line is the Democrats went into this after a blue wave, the American people saying we do want the opposition. The working people want the Democratic Party to fight for them. And now they just caved and surrendered. I think Chuck Schumer, his days are over. If he cannot keep his caucus together, he needs to go! He needs to be replaced!&#8221; she complained.

WHOOPI GOLDBERG, SARA HAINES, JOY BEHAR, SUNNY HOSTIN, ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN

‘The View’ Host’s Tirade Over Shutdown Ending Is A Master Class In Gaslighting

'The View' Host's Tirade Over Shutdown Ending Is A Master Class In Gaslighting

Government Shutdown

Media

Sunny Hostin

The View

WASHINGTON—John Fetterman doesn’t know what his fellow Democrats are thinking.
That, more or less, sums up what the Pennsylvania Democrat had to say to The Daily Wire during a wide-ranging Monday interview in his Senate office.
Seated in front of a fireplace festooned with pennants from Pennsylvania colleges, across from a framed “Don’t Be A Jagoff” poster, Fetterman held forth on the government shutdown, foreign policy, and the strange convergence of issues that have made him one of the Upper Chamber’s most surprising bipartisan voices.
It’s not just that Fetterman doesn’t understand some of the positions his colleagues have taken — though, to be sure, he doesn’t — but that he literally doesn’t know what they’re thinking. And how could he? They won’t talk to him.
“Not a single Democrat reached out to me,” Fetterman said about the lack of response to his <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fetterman-to-democrats-own-the-shutdown-and-reopen-government-now" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sunday appearance</a> on CNN’s State of the Union with Jake Tapper, during which he said that Democrats “need to own the shutdown.”
Fetterman suspects he hasn’t heard much from Democrats because they realize he’s “pretty committed” to what he says is a “pretty reasonable” view: that lawmakers should never hold the government hostage to achieve their political ends.
Still, as Congress barrels through the record for the longest-ever government shutdown, you would think Chuck Schumer might reach out to the member of his caucus who not only voted with Republicans to reopen the government 15 times, but has become an increasingly-vocal crusader against his party’s position.
So, has the Gentleman from Pennsylvania heard from the Senate Minority Leader?
“I haven’t,” Fetterman says.
Such is life for the self-proclaimed “regular Democrat,” whose refusal to toe the party line has made him a bit of a loner on his side of the aisle.
“I mean, honestly, I’m on The Daily Wire having this conversation,” Fetterman says with just a hint of incredulity. “I’m not having this conversation on MSNBC because they haven’t — I’d be happy to have this conversation there.”
The senator doesn’t complete his thought, but later on he says it would be “great” if “MSNBC decides to have me back on.” The implication is clear: when he started siding with Republicans, 30 Rock stopped calling.
Still, Fetterman has no interest in becoming the type of &#8220;Confirmed Bipartisan Senator,&#8221; bucking his party and making grand pronouncements about the need to cross the aisle. He’s quick to dismiss the idea that he’s some kind of Democratic Party gadfly, and brushes off comparisons to similar senators, noting that both Joe Manchin and Mitt Romney weren’t trying to keep their parties honest so much as they were trying to survive in hostile electoral environments.
So, no, John Fetterman has no intention of ditching the donkeys, not to go independent, and certainly not to join the other side.
“I’d be a pretty terrible Republican, you know?” the senator laughs. But that doesn’t mean he’s thrilled with how things are going with his team.
“I think the problem with the Democratic Party is, if you have a problem with a Democrat who supports Israel, who wants to secure our border, and thinks that it’s always wrong to shut our government down, then I think maybe the party has a bigger problem than I thought.”
Fetterman takes care to say that it’s the improbable fact of those three issues — Israel, the southern border, and the government shutdown — “converging at the same time” that “put me in alignment with more of a Republican view.”
“I ran as a regular Democrat, and my values haven’t changed,” Fetterman says.”What’s changed is, I think, the response after the Trump election.”
“We lost. We lost!” Fetterman says, repeating himself for emphasis. “And I think we really have to explore exactly why.”
“If it was partly the extreme things,” Fetterman says, doubling down on those positions would be a mistake.
It’s impossible not to think of Zohran Mamdani when he says this. The socialist upstart and likely next mayor of New York City has run a campaign in many ways reminiscent of Fetterman’s: focusing on the common man and embracing the fact that he looks different from everyone else on the primary ballot. But Mamdani shows no signs of moderating and offers no indication that he’ll govern like a “regular Democrat.”
But if Mamdani has Fetterman worried about the future of the Democratic Party, the senator won’t let on.
“New York City’s politics are not a model or relevant to national politics,” Fetterman says. “He will be the next mayor of NYC. That doesn’t change my life. And I don’t think it will change our party that wants to win nationally.”
It’s hard to square that sentiment with the actions of the Democratic Party, which in fact seems quite happy to sacrifice national victories to satisfy its Left flank. Take, for instance, the very shutdown that has Fetterman on the outs, which has dragged on this long in no small part because Schumer is terrified of being <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republicans-say-schumers-shutdown-is-about-appeasing-liberal-base-amid-rumored-aoc-primary?author=Amber+Jo+Cooper&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=14&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Republicans+Are+Calling+It+The+%E2%80%98Schumer+Shutdown.%E2%80%99+Why+Are+They+Making+It+All+About+AOC%3F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defenestrated</a> by New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
It’s also hard to square that sentiment with Fetterman’s other comments.
“I’d like to remind people that every single union that’s connected to this shutdown has said, hey, open this up! Vote for the CR, get that out,” Fetterman says. “We’re a pro-union party. Why don’t we listen to them? Why is this controversial for a Democrat to follow the voice of the unions?”
“I think shutting our government down simply because we have to ‘fight,’ or because that’s part of this resistance, I don’t agree with it,” the senator adds. “And I think we’re gonna hurt the kinds of people who are at the center of our party.”
As long as the government is closed, getting things reopened — paying servicemen, funding SNAP — will be Fetterman’s main focus. But after that’s resolved, assuming the peace in Gaza lasts, and if we can get something done in Ukraine, Fetterman senses the next issue of contention looming on the horizon.
“Holding China accountable,” Fetterman says. “China is certainly not our ally.”
The senator is open to whatever President Donald Trump and his team can throw at Beijing, from tariffs on down. Asked if he worries that escalating tensions with China will put Taiwan in the crosshairs, he demurs, but makes a point of trumpeting U.S.-Taiwan relations.
“I’m a big believer in democracy, and those are our key allies: Taiwan, Israel, and Ukraine,&#8221; Fetterman says, noting that defending each country is “pretty much the same fight against these kinds of nations like China, Russia, and Iran.”
Here, Fetterman returns once again to bipartisanship.
“I don’t care who brings peace, whether it’s Donald Trump or Joe Biden, I’m gonna support and follow as long as they’re pushing for peace, through strength. Peace through strength.”
Peace through strength. Ronald Reagan added that phrase to the Republican Party platform in 1980, where it’s remained ever since. Like Fetterman, he was a union man whose frustrations with the Democratic Party catapulted him to national fame.
Fetterman stops short of declaring, as Reagan famously did, that the Democratic Party left him. But whether he’ll say it or not, it seems like that particular train may be leaving the station. And the senator from Pennsylvania doesn’t seem interested in running to catch it.

Senate Readies Tax Bill For Vote As Holdouts Threaten Delay

The Daily Wire Sits Down With John Fetterman, Who Doesn’t Hear From Democrats Anymore

Democrats

Zohran Mamdani

WASHINGTON—Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s office confirmed to The Daily Wire that he continues to support the filibuster and his position remains “unchanged&#8221; by President Donald Trump&#8217;s call to abandon the filibuster as the government shutdown hits day 31.
On Thursday night, Trump took to <a href="https://x.com/AmberJoCooper/status/1984233772871516162">Truth Social</a> to urge Republicans to use the so-called “nuclear option.”
The president praised Republican leaders, saying Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson are doing a “GREAT job, but the Democrats are Crazed Lunatics that have lost all sense of WISDOM and REALITY.”
“It is now time for the Republicans to play their ‘TRUMP CARD,’ and go for what is called the Nuclear Option — Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW!” Trump said.
The filibuster requires 60 votes to end debate on most legislation before it can proceed to a final vote.
The ongoing government shutdown has dragged on because Republicans hold only 53 seats, leaving them short of the 60 votes needed to advance the House-passed <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5371">continuing resolution,</a> which would reopen the government. So far, the closest vote has been 55 — just five short of the threshold.
Trump said he believes if Democrats ever came back into power, they would end the filibuster “in the first day they take office, regardless of whether or not we do it.”
However, not everyone agrees ending the filibuster is the solution.
On October 10, Thune explained why he opposed eliminating it:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
FLASHBACK: Here is <a href="https://twitter.com/LeaderJohnThune?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LeaderJohnThune</a> prev. comments from 10/10 where he explained why he is AGAINST getting rid of the filibuster:
&#8220;The filibuster protects..&#8221;
This morning, Thune&#8217;s office confirmed his position is &#8220;unchanged.&#8221;<a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDailyWire</a> <a href="https://t.co/LfpQo9Z2sI">pic.twitter.com/LfpQo9Z2sI</a>
— Amber Jo Cooper (@AmberJoCooper) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmberJoCooper/status/1984269430319403481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
Thune said the “supermajority requirement is something that makes the Senate the Senate,” adding that without it, “there’s a whole lot of bad things could have been done by the other side.”
“The 60-vote threshold has protected this country and frankly, that&#8217;s what I think this last election was largely about because if the Democrats had won the majority, they probably would have tried to nuke the filibuster,&#8221; Thune said.
He added that Democrats had &#8220;six or seven things that they were going to do&#8221; when they attempted to nuke  the filibuster.
In 2022, Democrats attempted to eliminate the filibuster, but former independent Senators Joe Manchin (WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (AZ) voted with Republicans to keep it.
&#8220;And then you&#8217;d have four new U.S. Senators from Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, you&#8217;d have a packed Supreme Court, you&#8217;d have abortion on demand — a whole bunch of things that were on that laundry list,&#8221; Thune said.
The Senate Majority Leader said he believes the filibuster “protects” and has been &#8220;a voice for the minority.&#8221;
“It gives the minority a say in what happens in this country. The founders created the Senate, uniquely that way, for that specific reason,&#8221; Thune said.
Through the entire standoff, Thune has maintained his position, calling on Democrats to join Republicans to end the shutdown.
“It&#8217;s just really not that complicated. All it takes is a little backbone, a little courage on behalf of five Democrats to do what they have done and what we&#8217;ve done for decades when it comes to funding the government,&#8221; he added.
Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso’s spokeswoman confirmed to The Daily Wire that his support of the filibuster is “unchanged” as well.
Barrasso previously appeared on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwKliF4llDI&amp;t=151s">Fox &amp; Friends</a> and said there “aren’t the Republicans that would want to support it.”
“The Democrats would love for us to do that. They tried to do it last time because they wanted to add D.C. and Puerto Rico as states with more Democrat senators. They wanted to expand the Supreme Court from 9 to 13, and they wanted to get rid of voter ID, so that’s not something that we’re going to entertain,” Barrasso said.
Thune told Daily Wire editor emeritus <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEGCgwjIyMU">Ben Shapiro</a> last week that everything is “harder than it should be” right now, but he believes rank-and-file Democrats will eventually break from leadership and reopen the government.
“I just think we ought to be able to do this the old fashioned way and that is open up the government by just having five more Democrats vote with us and that’s all it’s going to take,” Thune said.
“We don’t need to end the filibuster,&#8221; Senate Republican Conference Chair Tom Cotton <a href="https://x.com/SenTomCotton/status/1982925568929870208">said</a> on Oct. 27 on Fox News. &#8220;We need five more Democrats to come to their senses and open the government. Senate Republicans will not be baited by nonsensical Democrat demands.”
When asked about the filibuster Friday, Speaker Johnson said his opinion is “not relevant.”
“I don‘t have a say in this. It is a Senate chamber issue. We do not have that in the House. But, the filibuster has traditionally has been viewed as a very important safeguard,” Johnson said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NOW: <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpeakerJohnson</a> on Trump calling on Republicans to nuke the filibuster:
&#8220;I don‘t have a say in this. It is a Senate chamber issue. We do not have that in the House. But, the filibuster has traditionally has been viewed as a very important safeguard&#8230;&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDailyWire</a> <a href="https://t.co/FukEMWBYQD">pic.twitter.com/FukEMWBYQD</a>
— Amber Jo Cooper (@AmberJoCooper) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmberJoCooper/status/1984267886056329562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
With Senate Republican leaders united in support of the filibuster, the only way out of the shutdown appears to be for Senate Democrats to vote on the continuing resolution to reopen the government. The longer they delay, the more Republicans are ramping up their offense.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee launched a digital <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK9yJb4iTrcO6YUVTI9LmadUP3X3ZlnpS" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list%3DPLK9yJb4iTrcO6YUVTI9LmadUP3X3ZlnpS&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1762021378466000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2D5Rv15c9wp3Gcd8ligTUb">ad campaign</a> Friday targeting Senate Democrat incumbents and Democrat challengers for “fighting to give free healthcare to illegal aliens over feeding American families.&#8221;
The NRSC slammed Democrats for voting to keep the government closed 13 times. It said “Schumer’s Shutdown is threatening to end SNAP assistance this week for <a href="https://e.nrsc.org/t/j-i-ydojrjt-l-j/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://e.nrsc.org/t/j-i-ydojrjt-l-j/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1762021378466000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0Bs2A-lJvmXANBJdM_H-mL">42 million Americans</a> who rely on it to feed their families,&#8221; the group <a href="https://www.nrsc.org/press-releases/nrsc-ad-blitz-targets-battleground-democrats-for-pushing-free-healthcare-for-illegals-over-feeding-american-families-2025-10-31/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nrsc.org/press-releases/nrsc-ad-blitz-targets-battleground-democrats-for-pushing-free-healthcare-for-illegals-over-feeding-american-families-2025-10-31/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1762021378466000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0P1608QsaYCM-9mO69D3SE">said</a> in a press release.
“Democrats are pandering to the far Left, and voters won’t forget it in 2026,” NRSC Communications Director Joanna Rodriguez said.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD)

Senate Leader’s Stance On Filibuster Remains ‘Unchanged’ As Trump Pushes ‘Nuclear Option’

Donald Trump

Filibuster

John Thune

Senator Rubén Gallego (D-AZ) became visibly agitated when CNBC host Joe Kernen confronted him directly on how he&#8217;d responded to government shutdowns in the past — particularly when Republicans had been the ones making demands — and Kernen ultimately pulled the plug on the entire interview.
&#8220;If Republicans shut down the government the next time Democrats are in charge to extract whatever it is that they happen to want —&#8221; Kernen began.
&#8220;Like they did last time?&#8221; Gallego interrupted.
&#8220;Are you saying that&#8217;s okay? Are you saying that&#8217;s okay if they do that next time?&#8221; Kernen asked.
&#8220;Republicans have done this quite a while, yes,&#8221; Gallego claimed.
&#8220;What did you say about it when they did it?&#8221; Kernen asked.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t know and I don&#8217;t care,&#8221; Gallego shot back.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
&#8220;I don&#8217;t know and I don&#8217;t care,&#8221; says petulant baby <a href="https://twitter.com/RubenGallego?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RubenGallego</a> when asked about his past shutdown comments.
Here&#8217;s a reminder —
2013: You can&#8217;t &#8220;shutdown the government&#8230; and still claim to be a Patriot&#8221;
2019: &#8220;Putting the country in danger&#8221;
2023: &#8220;Put country before… <a href="https://t.co/JbA7aU1M2B">pic.twitter.com/JbA7aU1M2B</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1982820587664773395?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The interview did not get less contentious from there.
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Kernen and Gallego clashed over Democrats&#8217; demands for reopening the government, in large part because Gallego claimed Democrats were not making any demands and then in the same breath explained what he and other Democrats &#8220;want&#8221; before they&#8217;ll vote to reopen the government.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Senator Gallego (D-AZ) claims Democrats aren&#8217;t &#8220;demanding anything&#8221; to reopen the government.
This is a lie.
Democrats have spent the last month demanding a plethora of things, including $1.5T in spending, which could allow illegal aliens to receive taxpayer-funded healthcare. <a href="https://t.co/IiZdP4U8Dt">pic.twitter.com/IiZdP4U8Dt</a>
— Media Lies (@MediasLies) <a href="https://twitter.com/MediasLies/status/1982817215616254142?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;We’re demanding a very simple thing. … We want to make sure that Americans, 24 million Americans, do not see their insurance premiums doubled,&#8221; Gallego said at first.
&#8220;Well, by not extending [subsidies], it would go up. But what’s the $1.5 trillion, Senator? You could extend those for one year, you could extend the Obamacare subsidies for $40 billion. For 10 years, you can do it for $345 billion. You’re asking for $1.5 trillion.&#8221;
&#8220;I’m sorry, are you an insurance broker?&#8221; Gallego objected, and then insisted that the money was all to prevent increases in premiums.
&#8220;What’s in the $1.5 trillion? You could do it for 10 years, Senator, for $345 billion. What’s the $1.5 trillion that Democrats are demanding to open the government?&#8221; Kernen asked again.
&#8220;We’re not demanding anything. This is just a Republican talking point,&#8221; Gallego claimed. &#8220;All I want is for the ACA to be extended for Americans, for 24 million people to not get their premiums doubled. In Arizona, we are talking about 500,000 people.&#8221;

Ruben Gallego

Dem Loses It When Confronted With His Thoughts On Past Shutdowns: ‘I Don’t Know And I Don’t Care’

Dem Loses It When Confronted With His Thoughts On Past Shutdowns: 'I Don't Know And I Don't Care'

Arizona

CNBC

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The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) says tens of millions of Americans are at risk of losing food stamp benefits next month if Senate Democrats continue to refuse a deal on funding the government.
&#8220;At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01,&#8221; the department&#8217;s homepage <a href="https://www.usda.gov/">reads</a> in large letters.
&#8220;Senate Democrats have now voted 12 times to not fund the food stamp program, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP),&#8221; the USDA alert continues. &#8220;Bottom line, the well has run dry.&#8221;
&#8220;We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats,&#8221; it says. &#8220;They can continue to hold out for healthcare for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive critical nutrition assistance.&#8221;
The government has been shut down since October 1, after Democrats refused a funding resolution without certain health care subsidies. Republicans have charged that Democrats want illegal immigrants to receive health care paid for by the American people.
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About 42 million Americans currently receive SNAP benefits, commonly referred to as food stamps.
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In 2024, SNAP served about 41.7 million people per month, <a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/key-statistics-and-research">according</a> to government data. Federal SNAP spending totaled nearly $100 billion, with the average recipient averaging $187.20 in benefits per month.
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Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) on Monday blasted Democrats for &#8220;punishing families and small businesses&#8221; over their refusal to strike a deal with Republicans.
&#8220;SNAP doesn’t just serve families &#8211; it helps small town grocery stores too,&#8221; Huckabee Sanders posted to X. &#8220;But 2,700 Arkansas retailers soon won’t be able to serve SNAP-recipient customers because of the Democrat’s shutdown. Democrats need to do their job and stop punishing families and small businesses.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
SNAP doesn’t just serve families &#8211; it helps small town grocery stores too. But 2,700 Arkansas retailers soon won’t be able to serve SNAP-recipient customers because of the Democrat’s shutdown.
Democrats need to do their job and stop punishing families and small businesses. <a href="https://t.co/K6voNWJ380">pic.twitter.com/K6voNWJ380</a>
— Sarah Huckabee Sanders (@SarahHuckabee) <a href="https://twitter.com/SarahHuckabee/status/1982811058571006116?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
<div>As the shutdown continues, President Donald Trump is working to ensure U.S. troops remain paid. He signed an executive order directing the Pentagon to repurpose unused funds to cover salaries in the interim. Trump also obtained a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/we-now-know-mystery-donor-who-gave-130-million-to-pay-troops-during-schumer-shutdown?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=We+Now+Know+Mystery+Donor+Who+Gave+%24130+Million+To+Pay+Troops+During+‘Schumer+Shutdown’">$130 million donation</a> from a &#8220;patriotic friend,&#8221; which reports indicate is Timothy Mellon, a billionaire railroad magnate and heir to the prominent banking and political Mellon family.</div>
“Chuck Schumer recently said, ‘Every day gets better’ during their Radical Left Shutdown. I DISAGREE!” Trump posted to Truth Social last week, as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/get-our-troops-paid-trump-says-he-wont-let-military-suffer-due-to-dem-shutdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">highlighted</a> by The Daily Wire.
“If nothing is done, because of ‘Leader’ Chuck Schumer and the Democrats, our Brave Troops will miss the paychecks they are rightfully due on October 15th,” he continued. “That is why I am using my authority, as Commander in Chief, to direct our Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to use all available funds to get our Troops PAID on October 15th.”
“I will not allow the Democrats to hold our Military, and the entire Security of our Nation, HOSTAGE, with their dangerous Government Shutdown,” Trump added.
<div>Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/maha-another-republican-state-bans-candy-soda-purchases-with-food-stamps?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=MAHA%3A+Another+Republican+State+Bans+Candy%2C+Soda+Purchases+With+Food+Stamps">MAHA: Another Republican State Bans Candy, Soda Purchases With Food Stamps</a></div>

US-POLITICS-TRUMP-CONGRESS

Food Stamps Won’t Be Issued Nov 1 Because Of ‘Senate Democrats,’ USDA Says

Food

USDA

Travelers are facing flight delays at airports across the country as air traffic control employees work without pay during the ongoing government shutdown.
Staff callouts caused delays at Nashville International Airport on Tuesday, while Burbank Airport in California was forced to conduct air traffic control operations in San Diego on Monday, ABC 7 Los Angeles reported. Airports in Chicago, Atlanta, Newark, and other cities have also been impacted.
“We’re seeing an uptick in controller shortages across the country,” the Department of Transportation <a href="https://x.com/USDOTRapid/status/1975732708417413196">said on X</a> Tuesday. “And where are the radical Democrats? Voting against giving our great controllers a paycheck. This is the last thing they need.”
A TSA spokesperson told The Daily Wire that travelers should have “patience” while flying during the shutdown, noting that the vast majority of TSA employees are considered “excepted or exempt” government employees who continue to work through the closure.
“While TSA is prepared to continue screening about 2.5 million passengers a day, an extended shutdown could mean longer wait times at airports,” a spokesman wrote.
But the potential for prolonged staffing shortages raises safety concerns as well.
“Aviation is the safest mode of transportation, but to maintain that the system may need to slow down, reducing efficiency,” Airlines for America, an industry trade group, said. The group added that it wants to see lawmakers “act with urgency and in good faith” to end the shutdown impacting their industry.
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“When federal employees who manage air traffic, inspect aircraft and secure our nation’s aviation system are furloughed or working without pay, the entire industry and millions of Americans feel the strain,” the group said. “We appreciate the men and women going to work, despite not receiving a paycheck, to ensure the safety and security of the traveling and shipping public.”
Airports could become the next flashpoint if the shutdown continues, with lawmakers from both parties using delays to press their opponents into a compromise.
“The Schumer Shutdown is crippling air traffic control operations in Nashville,” Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) told The Daily Wire. “Democrats need to stop putting the safety of traveling Americans at risk and join Republicans in getting our government back open,” she added.
Democrats, meanwhile, insist congressional Republicans and Donald Trump are responsible for the shutdown, which is now entering its second week.
“Thanks, [Trump]! Burbank Airport has ZERO air traffic controllers from 4:15pm to 10pm today because of YOUR government shutdown,” California Governor Gavin Newsom wrote on X Monday.
“The Democrat Government Shutdown has real-life consequences,” White House spokesman Kush Desai told The Daily Wire. “Each day Democrats drag out their government shutdown to push free health care for illegal immigrants, it’s everyday Americans — whether they&#8217;re trying to fly or use critical government programs — who have to pay the price.”
Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, said during a press conference at Newark Liberty International Airport on Monday that he was there to “advocate for the end to the shutdown,” as the union advises controllers to continue working.
“I’m gonna leave the political discussions for the politicians during this shutdown,” Daniels said.

Jet Takes Off in Washington

Americans Face Flight Delays As Government Shutdown Fuels Air Traffic Control Woes

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