Trump, Republicans Appear To Be Winning Message Battle Over Shutdown
For decades, Republicans were often saddled with blame during federal government shutdowns. But in the current budget standoff, polling suggests the political winds may be shifting in the GOP’s favor.
At the heart of the impasse is the Democrats’ insistence on restoring healthcare benefits for illegal immigrants — a sticking point Republicans argue has nothing to do with lowering costs for American families.
On Tuesday, the Senate failed to pass a continuing resolution to fund the government, falling short of the 60 votes needed. Some Democrats crossed the aisle to support the bill, but it ultimately failed 55-45. With no deal in place, the federal government shut down at midnight.
President Donald J. Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance have led the Republican charge, framing the shutdown as a consequence of Democrats putting illegal immigrants ahead of American citizens.
“It’s not something that we made up. It’s not a talking point,” Vance explained during a Fox News appearance. “There are two Biden-era programs that explicitly gave the taxpayer healthcare money to illegal aliens that we turned off when President Trump took over in January. In the One Big, Beautiful Bill, President Trump and congressional Republicans turned off that money for healthcare to illegal aliens. The Democrats want to turn it back on.”
That bill, passed earlier this year, cemented several of Trump’s second-term policies, expanded mass deportation funding, and restructured healthcare programs to block taxpayer dollars from being diverted to non-citizens.
Republicans have successfully branded the funding lapse the “Schumer shutdown,” a phrase gaining traction on Capitol Hill. The label even sparked a viral moment on CNN when a reporter asked Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer about the term, only for him to feign trouble hearing the question. “Maybe the government shutdown included audio on Capitol Hill,” the reporter quipped.
Schumer has rejected the GOP framing, claiming Democrats are merely working to reduce costs for families. “Let me be perfectly clear: Undocumented people CANNOT AND WILL NOT receive ACA [Affordable Care Act] premium tax credits BY LAW. PERIOD,” Schumer posted online. “This is a LIE from Republicans to divert attention from their shutdown.”
But Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) quickly countered, pointing out that the real issue is Medicaid, not the ACA. Under Biden’s sweeping use of parole and asylum, Medicaid funds have indeed flowed to hospitals treating millions of illegal immigrants. Mullin cited the text of the One Big, Beautiful Bill, which explicitly blocks Medicaid eligibility for those in the country unlawfully.
“They’re losing the argument,” Mullin posted on X. “As [Vance] said, this is a sleight of hand play.”
Meanwhile, President Trump has leaned into his signature online warfare to hammer Democrats, using memes and AI-edited videos to spread the GOP message. One viral clip portrays Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, with Jeffries wearing a sombrero and fake mustache, as Schumer’s AI voice admits Democrats are clinging to power by funneling benefits to illegal immigrants.
The message is clear: Republicans say the shutdown is a fight over whether Washington serves American citizens first, or illegal immigrants first.