President Donald Trump stated in an interview aired Sunday that he “won’t be extorted” by Democrats demanding negotiations to extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies set to expire at the end of the year for millions of Americans.
Echoing congressional Republicans, the president told CBS’ “60 Minutes” he will negotiate only once the government is reopened. Trump’s comments signal the ongoing shutdown could continue for some time, as federal workers—including air traffic controllers—are set to miss additional paychecks. There is also uncertainty over whether 42 million Americans who receive federal food aid will continue to access that assistance.
Senate Democrats have voted 13 times against reopening the government, insisting that Trump and Republicans must negotiate with them first. The president accused Democrats of having “lost their way” and predicted they will capitulate to Republicans.
“I think they have to,” Trump said. “And if they don’t vote, it’s their problem.”
He also reiterated his calls for Republican leaders to change Senate rules and eliminate the filibuster. Senate Republicans have consistently rejected this idea, arguing that the rule—requiring 60 votes to overcome objections—is vital to the Senate’s functioning. They credit the filibuster with enabling them to block Democratic policies when in the minority.
“Republicans have to get tougher,” Trump told CBS. “If we end the filibuster, we can do exactly what we want.”
As both parties remain at a standstill, the shutdown—now in its 33rd day and approaching its sixth week—appears likely to become the longest in U.S. history. The previous record shutdown occurred in 2019, when Trump demanded Congress allocate funds for a U.S.-Mexico border wall.
### A Potentially Decisive Week
Trump’s push to end the filibuster could prove a distraction for Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and fellow Republican senators who have chosen to stay the course as the shutdown’s consequences grow more severe.
Republicans hope some Democrats will eventually provide the votes they need. Moderates have been engaged in weekslong talks with rank-and-file Republicans about potential compromises that could secure support for health care legislation in exchange for reopening the government. Republicans need five additional Democratic votes to pass their bill.
“We need five with a backbone to say we care more about the lives of the American people than about gaining some political leverage,” Thune said on the Senate floor before the Senate recessed for the weekend on Thursday.
Virginia Senator Tim Kaine (D) told ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday that a group is discussing “a path to fix the health care debacle” along with a commitment from Republicans not to fire more federal workers. However, it remains unclear if these talks will produce a meaningful compromise.
### Deep Divides Over Obamacare Subsidies
Trump described the Affordable Care Act (often called Obamacare) as “terrible” in the “60 Minutes” interview. He said if Democrats vote to reopen the government, “we will work on fixing the bad health care that we have right now.”
Democrats disagree, arguing that ACA marketplaces are functioning well, with record numbers of Americans signing up for coverage. However, they want to extend subsidies put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent premiums from rising for millions on January 1.
“We want to sit down with Thune, with [House Speaker Mike] Johnson, with Trump, and negotiate a way to address this horrible health care crisis,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said last week.
### No Appetite for Bipartisanship
Despite Democratic calls to negotiate, Trump has shown little interest in engaging. Following a trip to Asia during the shutdown, he called again for ending the Senate filibuster.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt expressed support for the idea on “Sunday Morning Futures.” However, a spokesman for Senator Thune said Friday that his position remains unchanged. Speaker Johnson stated on Sunday that Republicans traditionally resist calls to end the filibuster because it protects them from “the worst impulses of the far-left Democrat Party.”
Trump said on “60 Minutes” that while he likes Thune, he disagrees with him on this point.
Throughout the shutdown, the president has mocked Democrats, posting videos of House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries wearing a Mexican sombrero. The White House website features a satirical “My Space” page parodying Democrats, based on the early-2000s social media site.
“We just love playing politics with people’s livelihoods,” the page reads.
Democrats have repeatedly urged Trump to take the situation seriously. Virginia Senator Mark Warner expressed hope the shutdown could end “this week” since Trump has returned to Washington.
Republicans “can’t move on anything without a Trump sign off,” Warner said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”
### Record-Breaking Shutdown Impacts Grow
The 35-day shutdown that lasted from December 2018 to January 2019 ended after Trump backed down on his border wall demands. That shutdown saw increasing delays at the nation’s airports and multiple missed paydays for hundreds of thousands of federal workers.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told ABC’s “This Week” that airport delays have already occurred and will worsen. Many workers face difficult choices.
“They are confronted with a decision,” Duffy said. “Do I put food on my kids’ table, do I put gas in the car, do I pay my rent, or do I go to work and not get paid?”
As flight delays mount nationwide, New York City’s emergency management department posted Sunday that Newark Airport was under a ground delay due to “staffing shortages in the control tower.” They are currently limiting arrivals.
“The average delay is about 2 hours, and some flights are more than 3 hours late,” they noted. “FAA planning notes show a possibility of a full ground stop later if staffing shortages or demand increases.”
### SNAP Benefits Crisis
Also impacted are the 42 million Americans relying on SNAP benefits. The Department of Agriculture planned to withhold $8 billion needed for SNAP payments starting Saturday, until two federal judges ordered the administration to continue funding the program.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries accused Trump and Republicans of trying to “weaponize hunger.” He criticized the administration for finding money for other priorities while delaying SNAP payments despite court orders.
“But somehow they can’t find money to make sure that Americans don’t go hungry,” Jeffries said during CNN’s “State of the Union.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, also appearing on CNN Sunday, said the administration is waiting for court direction.
“The best way for SNAP benefits to get paid is for Democrats — five Democrats — to cross the aisle and reopen the government,” Bessent said.
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*Associated Press writer Aamer Madhani contributed to this report.*
https://fortune.com/2025/11/03/trump-government-shutdown-extorted-democrats-snap-food-aid/