Democrats Plan Government Shutdown Over Healthcare Subsidies, Republicans Resist

The United States is on the brink of a government shutdown as Democrats and Republicans clash over funding measures, with Democrats demanding an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies as part of the funding package. Senate Democrats, now in the minority, are withholding support for the government funding bill unless these healthcare subsidies are extended, a tactic reminiscent of past GOP strategies. Republicans and the Trump administration have rejected these demands, with senior officials warning of potential mass firings of federal workers during the shutdown. President Trump and congressional leaders met in a last-ditch effort to avoid the shutdown, but no breakthrough was reached, and Republicans are preparing for the government to close. Democratic leadership faces pressure from progressive groups like Indivisible, which is actively urging senators to oppose bipartisan funding agreements, intensifying the standoff. While Democrats hope to leverage the shutdown to secure policy wins, the move risks empowering the Trump White House to implement significant executive branch cuts, with little sign of compromise ahead.