Trump Throws Down Gauntlet in '60 Minutes' Interview, Says He Won't End Shutdown Because He Was 'Extorted by the Democrats'

For Democrats hoping President Donald J. Trump might soften his stance on their health care demands in exchange for ending the ongoing federal government shutdown, Sunday’s CBS “60 Minutes” interview should put those hopes to rest.

There was never much indication that the White House was considering concessions, but President Trump made it unmistakably clear. Speaking with Norah O’Donnell, he rejected the idea of trading health care policy for a temporary spending patch, saying he was “not going to do it by being extorted by the Democrats” and declaring bluntly that “there is something wrong with these people.”

During the interview, the president also floated the possibility of eliminating the Senate filibuster — an option that would dramatically alter the legislative battleground and one that is certain to get Sen. Chuck Schumer’s attention even if the idea meets resistance from within the GOP.

The tone of the interview was predictable: O’Donnell repeatedly recited the Democratic Party’s health care talking points, noting, “Three quarters of these people [that] will see their healthcare premiums double live in states where you won in the last election… even here in Florida has the highest number of residents on Obamacare in the country.”

President Trump did not budge.
“And I’m saying we can fix it, Norah,” he replied.

He continued, “I’m very good at [ending shutdowns] … but I’m not gonna do it by being extorted by the Democrats who have lost their way. There’s something wrong with these people.” He didn’t mince words on the Senate minority leader either: “Schumer is a basket case, and he has nothing to lose. … He’s become a kamikaze.”

When O’Donnell suggested that no deal seemed forthcoming, the president responded with confidence: “It’s gonna get solved, yeah. Oh, it’s gonna get solved… Eventually, they’re gonna have to vote.”

Asked whether he believed Democrats would fold, he said, “I think they have to… I think we should do the nuclear option… ending the filibuster.”

Even if Senate leadership hesitates to go nuclear — and even if doing so carries long-term consequences — the threat alone reshapes the battlefield. It tells Democrats a simple truth: The president is not the one trapped politically. They are.

Yet President Trump also made clear that negotiations on improving America’s broken health care system are possible — just not as ransom for reopening the government.

“We can make it much less expensive for people and give them much better healthcare,” he said.

But he added that Democrats are pushing policies that reward criminality and illegal entry instead of helping American families:

“The problem is, they want to give money to prisoners, to drug dealers, to all these millions of people that were allowed to come in with an open border from Biden. And nobody can do that.”

This is the message Democrats need to hear. For weeks, they have mistaken brinkmanship for strength. They are not in a standoff with another political party. They are standing on the tracks in front of a moving train. And President Trump is not slowing down.

If Democrats truly care about the well-being of the American people, they can reopen the government and then negotiate like adults. Or they can continue dragging the country through a shutdown until they are forced to accept reality — and responsibility.

The president has placed the choice squarely in their hands.

They simply need to decide — and own the consequences.