Senate Republicans Unite With Trump at White House as Government Shutdown Enters Fourth Week

President Donald Trump hosted a lunch meeting with all 53 Republican Senators at the White House Rose Garden to demonstrate GOP unity amid the ongoing government shutdown, which has entered its fourth week. The shutdown, the second-longest in U.S. history, continues due to Senate Democrats' refusal to reopen the government without an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire at year's end, a demand Republicans, led by Trump, reject. While the GOP remains united and resistant to Democratic conditions, Democrats accuse the Republicans and Trump of holding the government hostage, with Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer calling the Republican gathering a "pep rally." The shutdown's impact is worsening, with thousands of federal workers furloughed or working without pay, and critical programs like WIC, Head Start, and the National Nuclear Security Administration facing funding shortfalls. Despite the severity of these effects, the meeting did not signal a breakthrough in negotiations, as Republicans maintain their stance to stand strong and expect Democrats to open the government first. Both parties acknowledge the stalemate's growing economic and social toll, but no resolution appears imminent as political posturing continues.