House Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries blasted President Donald Trump for being “missing in action” and not acting like a leader as the federal government shutdown entered its 28th day.
Senate Democrats are demanding negotiations with Republican Majority Leader John Thune to find a way to restore the expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies, without which millions of Americans will lose health care coverage, and even more could see premiums skyrocket. Republicans are refusing to negotiate unless Democrats first vote to reopen the government.
“Convene the appropriators,” Jeffries insisted, referring to the budget committee.
“Do what leaders do in moments like this, as opposed to being missing in action now for 28 days, while finding $40 billion to bail out a right-wing, wannabe dictator in Argentina, and destroying the historic parts of the White House in real time, so that he can construct a ballroom, where he will be celebrated like a wannabe king,” the Democratic Leader said.
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“This is all outrageous stuff.”
“And the American people see it unfolding before their very eyes, and they know that Donald Trump and Republicans have not been serious about doing what is necessary to enact a spending agreement that actually improves the quality of life of hardworking American taxpayers.”
Also on Tuesday, Politico reported that Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy had suggested “that a Trump administration effort to scrounge together money to pay air traffic controllers during the federal shutdown is dead.”
“Duffy said he had examined the FAA’s budget to see if he could find any available funds, but ‘there’s not a lot of leeway that we have to get people paid.'”
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Jeffries’ remarks came around the same time as Vice President JD Vance told reporters, after attending the weekly GOP luncheon, that the White House has found a way to pay the troops again, as Punchbowl News’ Max Cohen reported.
Bobby Kogan, the senior director of federal budget policy at the Center for American Progress, responded to President Trump paying the troops:
“Huge contrast with illegally refusing to make SNAP payments. What we’re seeing from the White House is them moving heaven and earth to pay what they want to pay, even if it’s illegal — and moving heaven and earth to NOT pay what they don’t want to pay, even if it’s illegal.”