The US government shutdown continues to drag on, with no end in sight. Meanwhile, President Trump has been focusing on other matters, including a recent bathroom renovation at the White House and a Halloween party. Despite the president’s claims that the shutdown will be easily resolved, his party members are growing concerned about his lack of involvement in negotiations.
Trump attended a Halloween party on Friday, just hours after returning from a trip across Asia, and weighed in on the shutdown by suggesting that Democrats are to blame for the crisis. However, he failed to offer any concrete steps to bring the crisis to a close. Instead, he called attention to his new bathroom renovation, which has sparked criticism from those who plan to hand out canned soup instead of candy.
The shutdown is the longest in US history, with hundreds of thousands of federal workers facing uncertainty about their next paychecks. Republicans and Democrats have been at odds over a short-term funding measure, with Trump’s party wanting to pass one at current budget levels while Democrats want additional money for health care programs.
Despite the growing crisis, Trump has expressed confidence that the public will blame Democrats for the standoff. However, new polling shows that more Americans are blaming Trump and Republicans for the shutdown. Administration officials have expressed concern about the fallout of the shutdown, which is affecting food stamp benefits and airport delays.
In a statement on social media, Trump warned that any food stamp benefits paid in November would be delayed due to a lack of clarity from the courts. The White House has refused to tap emergency funds to finance the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), despite criticism from labor unions representing federal workers.
Trump’s party members are beginning to call on him to get more involved in negotiating a compromise. Senator Jim Justice, R-WV, said that Trump needs to step up and guide his party through the crisis. Despite this, the president remains committed to eliminating the filibuster to force through legislation to end the shutdown.
The White House has declined to answer questions about Trump’s involvement in negotiations, citing Democrats’ refusal to provide Republicans with the votes to fund the government before any conversations can begin. The standoff continues, with no clear resolution in sight.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/31/us/politics/trump-shutdown.html