Clock Ticking Down as Government Shutdown Appears Imminent

On the final day before a government shutdown, a compromise doesn't look likely.

Vice President Vance said he believes the country is headed toward a shutdown because Democrats “won’t do the right thing.”

The two parties are trading blame after top congressional leaders met with President Trump and Vice President Vance at the White House, leaving without a deal.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized the House-passed short-term funding bill, saying it had “not one iota of Democratic input,” while House Speaker Mike Johnson insisted there’s “nothing partisan in it — no policy riders and none of our big party preferences.”

Democrats are holding out to reverse health care cuts and extend Obamacare subsidies set to expire at the end of the year, saying they don’t trust Republicans to take up the issue later. Schumer argued, “When they say later, they mean never. We have to do it now.”

President Trump has suggested a shutdown could result in mass firings of federal workers, blaming Democrats for the looming crisis.

The president also escalated tensions online, posting a fake video showing House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries with a sombrero and Senate Majority Leader Schumer delivering a manipulated, likely AI-generated speech. Schumer responded that if Trump thinks a shutdown is a joke, it proves he “can’t negotiate — only throw tantrums.” Jeffries added that “bigotry will get you nowhere.”

The sharp words underscore how far apart the two sides remain, while federal workers brace for missed paychecks. Lorie McCann, a union leader in Chicago, said workers are “very concerned, very stressed, and very anxious” about the days ahead.

Federal employees typically receive back pay once a shutdown ends, but the short-term financial strain — and talk of permanent job cuts — is adding to the stress.

Meanwhile, Senate Republicans are preparing to advance a temporary measure to keep the government open. It would need at least eight Democratic votes to pass — an outcome that appears unlikely.