‘Won’t be extorted’: Trump vows no negotiation as US shutdown nears record
US president blames Democrats, pushes Republicans to change Senate rules as the US government shutdown drags on
The US government shutdown was poised to become the longest ever this week as the impasse between Democrats and Republicans dragged into a new month. Millions of people could lose food aid benefits, healthcare subsidies were set to expire and there were few real talks between the parties over how to end it.
US President Donald Trump said in an interview aired on Sunday that he “won’t be extorted” by Democrats who were demanding negotiations to extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies that expire at the end of the year for millions of Americans. Echoing congressional Republicans, the president said on CBS’ 60 Minutes that he would only negotiate when the government was reopened.
Trump’s comments signal that the shutdown could continue to drag on for some time as federal workers, including air traffic controllers, were set to miss additional pay cheques and there was uncertainty over whether 42 million Americans who receive federal food aid would be able to access the assistance.
Senate Democrats have voted 13 times against reopening the government, insisting that they need Trump and Republicans to negotiate with them first.
The president said that Democrats “have lost their way” and predicted that they would eventually capitulate to Republicans.