President Donald Trump sharply criticized House and Senate Democrats during a private breakfast with Republican senators, comparing their willingness to hold the country hostage over the funding fight to World War II kamikaze missions. His comments came after a recent trip to Japan and amid the ongoing partial government shutdown, which has stretched into an unprecedented stretch of weeks. Trump framed the standoff as largely the fault of Democrats and warned of political as well as practical consequences if the stalemate continues.
Speaking directly to lawmakers at the White House, Trump did not soften his language. “I think they’re kamikaze pilots,” he said. “I just got back from Japan and talked about the kamikaze pilots. I think these guys are kamikaze. They’ll take down the country if they have to.”
The shutdown began when funding expired on October 1 and has continued as negotiators clash over a short-term funding bill. It has now become the longest shutdown in modern U.S. history, straining federal operations and creating a political headache for Republicans who control the White House and one chamber of Congress.
Trump also complained that Democrats are not absorbing the political fallout he believes they deserve. “It is Democrat-created, but I don’t think they’re getting really the blame that they should,” he said, urging a quicker reopening of government so people and agencies can get back to work.
At the heart of the impasse are disputes over healthcare language in the stopgap measure. Republicans argue Democrats are pushing provisions that would expand benefits for those in the country without authorization and would reverse parts of Trump-era tax and domestic policy wins, which Trump refers to as the “big, beautiful bill” that tightened eligibility for certain programs.
Democrats counter that their priority is extending Affordable Care Act subsidies and protecting coverage for vulnerable Americans, and they deny seeking broad giveaway language. That clash over policy and messaging keeps negotiators at an impasse and leaves millions affected by the funding lapse.
Trump tied the shutdown directly to recent election setbacks, saying national anger over the halt in funding hurt Republicans at the ballot box. “Exactly one year ago, we had that big, beautiful victory,” he said. “But I thought we’d have a discussion after the press leaves about what last night represented and what we should do about it. And also about the shutdown and how that relates to last night.” He added, “I think if you read the pollsters, the shutdown was a big factor. Negative for the Republicans, and that was a big factor.”
On the Senate floor, Democrats rejected a Republican stopgap funding bill that lacked the health subsidy extensions they demand. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pushed back hard, saying, “The only plan Republicans have for healthcare seems to be to eliminate it, and then to tell working people to go figure it out on their own.” He followed with, “That’s not a healthcare plan. That’s cruel.” These sharp exchanges underscore how healthcare remains the central bargaining chip in any deal to reopen government.
Capitol Hill now faces a choice between a short-term patch that satisfies neither side or a longer, more comprehensive bill that risks inflaming base voters on both ends. Republicans in the Senate are weighing longer-term funding options, while Democrats insist on concrete protections for subsidies before they will lift their objections. The standoff shows no immediate signs of melting, and lawmakers are bracing for further fallout if negotiators fail to find common ground.
