How Trump Changed Republicans’ Shutdown Game

There’s no end in sight for the current government shutdown, which entered its third week on Wednesday. While Democrats are clinging to their $1.5 trillion demands—and Republicans, for once, are refusing to capitulate—there has been a palpable shift in the government shutdown state of play. This week, Rep. Mike Haridopolos, R-Fla., joins “The Signal Sitdown” to discuss the evolving dynamics of shutdown politics.

“Historically it should be a surprise,” that Democrats have opted to shut down the government, Haridopolos told The Daily Signal. “The Democrats historically have always got along with a clean [continuing resolution],” he added. That’s especially the case in recent history, as Democrats have voted upwards of a dozen times for a nearly identical continuing resolution that kept the government open and running on spending levels set during former President Joe Biden’s administration. 

To add insult to injury, the continuing resolution that would last through Nov. 21 was negotiated by Republican and Democrat appropriators. “We negotiated this ahead of time,” Haridopolos told The Daily Signal. “[House Appropriations Chairman] Tom Cole sat down, of course, with the House appropriators and Democrat appropriators, and said, ‘We’re going to have a clean [continuing resolution], what else do you need? We want to do it till January.”

Democrats, however, wanted the continuing resolution to expire in November. “We acquiesced and said, ‘Okay, fine, November 21,’” Haridopolos continued. “We negotiated. So this drama about ‘They never had a seat at the table’ is wrong.”

Democrats went on to reject the continuing resolution because, in Haridopolos’s telling, “the modern Democrat Party is clearly being held hostage by the more left-wing, if not super left-wing, part of their party.”

“It’s a ransom note,” the Florida congressman added.

In years past, it’s very possible Republicans would have already caved to the Democrats’ ransom demands—but not this time. “I’m glad to see we’re not budging. We shouldn’t budge because we won the election,” Haridopolos argued. “The American public spoke very clearly. They want to reform some of these broken programs, and the Democrats seem to act like they won the 2024 election. They did not, and I’m glad to see we’re digging in.”

That strategy is paying dividends for Republicans. A recent YouGov/Economist poll found that, in the past week, the public’s sentiment on who will likely be blamed for the shutdown has moved 5 points in Republicans’ favor. It’s a major change in the state of play, even if Senate Democrats are not yet turning on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and reopening the government because polling at the beginning of the shutdown saw Republicans underwater by double digits.

President Donald Trump has been the difference maker. “It’s so important to have that unified mouthpiece,” Haridopolos told The Daily Signal.

“I mean, Obama won the shutdowns before because he had a unified voice. Even Clinton before that,” Haridopolos said, reflecting on past shutdowns. “It’s really important to have the president there… he has been such a remarkable leader.”

Trump has kept the Republican messaging unified and on target, the congressman said. The president has “expos[ed] life is about choices.”

“One group wants to give away health care to a non-citizen for free,” Haridopolos claimed, “while citizens, hardworking citizens, are paying $1,500 a month, $18,000 a year.”

“It’s about choices,” Haridopolos added. “Pick your team.”

“When the other team’s saying it’s $1.5 trillion, or we keep the government shut down, I think everyday citizens say, ‘I don’t think these guys are on our team,’” the Florida congressman concluded. 

The president has created the contrast, but Republicans still need to use that leverage to end the government shutdown.

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