Americans Rip Democrats For Clinging to ‘Schumer Shutdown’
A newly released White House video is amplifying the voices of everyday Americans — particularly farmers — urging Senate Democrats and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to stop playing politics and reopen the federal government.
The one-minute clip, first reported by The Daily Caller, features a series of working Americans filmed in fields, barns, and small-town communities explaining how the shutdown is hurting their livelihoods.
“My name is Zach Bennett, and I’m an American farmer,” one man says while standing in a field. “Each day that this government shutdown continues, it is hurting the American farmer and hurting the American public.”
“I’m Nikki Ellis, an American hog farmer,” another adds. “The government shutdown affects us even here on our farm — we need USDA rolling full steam ahead.”
Others in the video plead with Democrats to “stop this pettiness” and let Americans get back to work. One Michigan resident warned that working families are feeling the squeeze:
“Every day that our government is shut down, hard-working Americans suffer. Senator Schumer is keeping our government shut down, which is hurting us, farmers. The Senate needs to pass the House Republicans’ clean continuing resolution and reopen our government.”
The shutdown began October 1 after Senate Democrats blocked the House-passed clean continuing resolution (CR) — which would have kept the government open through late November — demanding instead increased federal spending for Medicaid, Obamacare subsidies, and reimbursements to states for illegal immigrant expenses.
Following the standoff, President Donald Trump met with OMB Director Russ Vought to discuss cost-cutting measures and potential reductions to the bloated federal workforce. Nine days later, Vought announced on X that more than 4,000 federal employees had been terminated, describing the number as a “snapshot” of the administration’s ongoing downsizing effort.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson praised the new video for cutting through Democrat spin.
“Don’t listen to the desperate attempts at spin from the Democrats as to why they shut down the government — listen to hardworking Americans sharing the truth,” Jackson told The Daily Caller.
“They know that Chuck Schumer and the Democrat Party shut down the government because they want to give free health care to illegal aliens, and now Americans are paying the price. Democrats should listen to the patriots in this video: stop hurting working Americans and reopen the government.”
Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) told Fox News that two additional Democrats are in discussions to break ranks with Schumer and vote with Republicans to restore funding.
So far, three Democrats — Sens. John Fetterman (Pa.), Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.), and Angus King (Maine) — have sided with Republicans in support of reopening the government. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) remains the lone GOP holdout, citing concerns about spending levels.
Thune said Republicans now have 55 votes ready to fund the government, signaling growing bipartisan frustration with Schumer’s blockade.
“We’re only stuck as long as a handful of Democrats decide they want to follow the leader and play politics rather than do the right thing on behalf of the American people and open up the government,” Thune said.
As the shutdown enters its second week, the pressure is mounting on Democrats to relent — and the White House’s message is clear: America’s farmers, workers, and families have had enough of Washington’s political games.