As the partial government shutdown enters its sixth day, President Trump seemed to suggest Thursday that most of the federal employees going without pay are Democrats.
Trump continued to insist on Twitter that the government can't re-open until Democrats agree on the $5 billion he has demanded for his proposed border wall. But this time, he added, "Do the Dems realize that most of the people not getting paid are Democrats?"
About 380,000 federal employees have been furloughed, and 400,000 more have been forced to work without pay, because of the shutdown, which began when Trump refused to sign a stopgap spending bill that didn't contain the $5 billion he wants for his border wall, per ABC News.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Trump seems to now be suggesting that most of the affected employees are Democrats, either in an attempt to dismiss the significance of their struggles or to pressure Democrats into caving to his demands. Trump had previously attempted to pin the shutdown on Democrats, despite previously pledging he would take the blame for it. "I am proud to shut down the government for border security," Trump told Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Dec. 11. "I will be the one to shut it down."
-
August 23 editorial cartoonsCartoons Saturday's political cartoons include deficit dimness, steamroller-in-chief, and more
-
5 museum-grade cartoons about Trump's Smithsonian purgeCartoons Artists take on institutional rebranding, exhibit interpretation, and more
-
Settling the West Bank: a death knell for a Palestine state?In the Spotlight The reality on the ground is that the annexation of the West Bank is all but a done deal
-
Judge: Trump's US attorney in NJ serving unlawfullySpeed Read The appointment of Trump's former personal defense lawyer, Alina Habba, as acting US attorney in New Jersey was ruled 'unlawful'
-
Third judge rejects DOJ's Epstein records requestSpeed Read Judge Richard Berman was the third and final federal judge to reject DOJ petitions to unseal Epstein-related grand jury material
-
Texas OKs gerrymander sought by TrumpSpeed Read The House approved a new congressional map aimed at flipping Democratic-held seats to Republican control
-
Israel starts Gaza assault, approves West Bank planSpeed Read Israel forces pushed into the outskirts of Gaza City and Netanyahu's government gave approval for a settlement to cut the occupied Palestinian territory in two
-
Court says labor board's structure unconstitutionalSpeed Read The ruling has broad implications for labor rights enforcement in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi
-
Feds seek harsh charges in DC arrests, except for riflesSpeed Read The DOJ said 465 arrests had been made in D.C. since Trump federalized law enforcement there two weeks ago
-
Trump taps Missouri AG to help lead FBISpeed Read Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has been appointed FBI co-deputy director, alongside Dan Bongino
-
Trump warms to Kyiv security deal in summitSpeed Read Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Trump's support for guaranteeing his country's security 'a major step forward'
