‘The Attacks Aren’t Working’: Attempts By D.C. Press To Drive A Wedge In GOP Have Failed, Aides Say

WASHINGTON—As the media attempt to drive a wedge between congressional Republicans and the White House, a senior House Republican aide tells The Daily Wire: “The attacks aren’t working.”

On Tuesday, Politico proclaimed that “Trump’s off-script comments cause shutdown headaches for GOP,” saying President Donald Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune are “straining to project a united front against Democrats.”

Shortly after the Politico story was published, Punchbowl News reporter Andrew Desiderio posted on X that “Schumer calls out Republicans, says they’re ‘feeling the heat’ on Obamacare subsidies and are ‘fractured’ amid shutdown fight, citing Trump going off message.”

The Democratic National Committee War Room then published an article on their website Wednesday: “Republicans Are in Shambles Over Trump Shutdown as Johnson Extends House GOP Vacation for Another Week.” The article claims that the GOP and White House are “scrambling to keep their story straight on Donald Trump’s government shutdown.”

But according to the senior aide, these attacks are falling flat.

“Congressional Republicans are aligned with the White House on message, tactics, and resolve, and attempts by the DC press to drive a wedge have failed,” they said.

Trump struck a similar note in a Thursday press conference, praising Johnson and Thune for their leadership.

“Both of those guys have been incredible,” Trump said, placing the blame for the continued shutdown firmly on the Democrats, who “started it” and are not keeping the government closed “like a kamikaze attack.”

“They have nothing to lose,” Trump said of Democrats. “They’ve lost the elections. They’ve lost the presidential election in a landslide,” Trump said.

In the same press conference, Trump also questioned Schumer’s ability to lead Senate Democrats.

“They have a party that’s out of control. They have no leader. Nobody knows who the leader is,” Trump said, wondering whether Schumer “has any power anymore.”

The president said he “doesn’t know who to speak to” and said he’s getting calls from Democrats he has never heard of.

“I never even heard their names before, and they’re claiming to be leader. The Democrats have no leader. They remind me of Somalia,” Trump said.

The House passed a funding bill (H.R. 5371) 11 days before the deadline, but it has yet to pass the Senate.

Democratic Senators John Fetterman (PA), Catherine Cortez Masto (NV), and Independent Angus King (ME) broke with their party to side with Republicans and vote for the funding bill.

However, the last vote on Wednesday, 54-45, was still not enough to clear the 60-vote threshold.

Trump met with Republican leaders at the White House, and Johnson has repeatedly said that he talks to the president.

On Thursday morning at a press conference, Johnson said he spoke with the president Wednesday night.

“He called me after the peace deal was done, and he and I both lament — we all do — this terrible situation that we’re in,” Johnson said.

Johnson, Thune, and Trump have all said Democrats need to pass the continuing resolution and reopen the government. Johnson reiterated that message on Thursday.

“While we’re working to do all these positive things for the people and even settle conflicts around the world — the Democrats are playing games. It’s political theater to them. They’ve reduced Americans’ pain to a political prop,” Johnson said.

On Thursday, Punchbowl News reported Democrats “feel good” about their strategy, with Schumer telling the outlet, “Every day gets better for us.”

This sparked reaction from top Republicans — including Vice President JD Vance.

“Better for Schumer. Worse for Americans. What a vile sentiment from an alleged leader in our country,” Vance wrote on X.

Johnson also shared a screenshot of the article on X and wrote, “Yesterday, Chuck Schumer — the engineer of the painful shutdown — told Punchbowl the following. Incredible.”

A seventh vote on the CR is expected on Thursday. With both sides still standing firm in their positions, the shutdown doesn’t appear to be ending anytime soon.