Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) is sounding the alarm over a possible partial government shutdown this fall, warning that the growing influence of radical progressives inside the Democratic Party could derail any bipartisan path forward.

Appearing on Fox News Sunday with Maria Bartiromo, Thune pointed directly at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), suggesting the embattled Democrat is caving to the demands of the far-left.

“I think he [Schumer] probably thinks that it’s beneficial to their political base, the far left of the Democrat Party, and you can kind of see what’s happening up there in New York politics,” Thune said.

Indeed, Schumer has faced mounting pressure from progressive activists, particularly after he declined to oppose a GOP-led budget package in March that temporarily staved off a government shutdown. The blowback was so intense, it forced him to cancel events on his book tour as leftist agitators demanded he take a harder line against President Donald J. Trump and conservative fiscal policy.

Despite holding the minority in both chambers, Democrats have grown increasingly reliant on using the threat of government shutdowns as leverage against the Trump administration.

Under current law, Congress must pass 12 appropriations bills—or approve a continuing resolution—to keep the government running when the new fiscal year begins on October 1. But Democrats, wielding the filibuster, can obstruct either option unless Republicans secure 60 Senate votes.

For now, Congress has kicked the can with a continuing resolution, effectively putting the federal budget on autopilot until fall.

“This is a party struggling for an identity. This is a party that’s completely out of step with the mainstream of this country,” Thune warned. “We’re going to be waiting to see anxiously what Chuck Schumer and other leaders on the Democrat side decide to do.”

Earlier this month, Schumer slammed GOP leaders for proposing a “rescissions” package—targeted rollbacks of previously authorized funding—arguing that Republicans are undermining the appropriations process by allowing President Trump to redirect spending without Democratic approval.

“We are doing everything we can to keep the bipartisan appropriations process going,” Schumer said at a press conference. “And they’re undermining it with rescissions, with pocket rescissions, with impoundment and every other way.”

But Republicans say the real sabotage is coming from within Schumer’s own ranks, where his grip on leadership has grown increasingly tenuous. Progressives have launched an all-out revolt, especially in deep-blue New York, where leftist firebrand Zohran Mamdani recently ousted former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in a stunning Democratic primary upset for mayor of New York City.

Schumer, who is up for reelection in 2028, has not yet confirmed whether he will run again—likely weighing the threat of a primary challenge from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), the face of the far-left “Squad.”

The challenge for Republican leadership remains formidable as well. Fiscal conservatives in the House continue to reject bloated spending packages and demand real budget cuts—positions that Democrats flatly oppose.

Still, Thune remains hopeful cooler heads can prevail.

“Ultimately, keeping the government funded is good for the country, and hopefully we will have bipartisan cooperation to do that,” he said.
“If their recent track record is any indication, they’re under a tremendous amount of pressure from that far left wing of the Democrat Party to shut the government down.”

The last major government shutdown—lasting a record 35 days—occurred at the end of 2018 into early 2019, when then-President Trump battled Democrats over funding for the border wall. Now, with Trump once again in the White House, the battle lines are being redrawn—and the stakes could be just as high.