Cracks in the Blue Wall: Trump Piles On as Democratic Civil War Erupts Over Shutdown
In a stunning rebuke of their own leadership, eight Senate Democrats broke ranks Sunday to vote with Republicans on a measure to reopen the government, sparking immediate internal calls for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to be replaced. The rebellion, which led to the shutdown’s end, exposed a deep party fracture over strategy, with one defiant senator stating their tactic “didn’t work” and Senator John Fetterman lambasting colleagues for being unable to get their “s— together.” The mutiny handed Republicans a significant political victory and plunged Democrats into a very public civil war over their direction.
Seizing on the disarray, President Donald Trump weighed in during a Fox News interview, declaring Schumer had “made a mistake in going too far” and that “the Republicans broke him.” Trump escalated his criticism with a highly personal attack, claiming Schumer had transformed from a person who “loved Israel” to having “become a Palestinian.” The former president framed the Democrats’ shutdown motive as a desire to provide “$1.5 trillion” in healthcare for undocumented immigrants, which he argued would “hurt other people’s healthcare.” As Democrats grapple with their internal crisis, Trump previewed a legislative effort to prevent future government shutdowns, aiming to capitalize on a moment of profound Democratic weakness.
