In shutdowns previous — together with throughout Trump’s first time period — presidents usually scaled again their schedules. With staffers deemed “non-essential” despatched residence, the White Home typically sought to look sympathetic to People affected by disruptions to well being care, veterans advantages and different key companies.
The present shutdown has left round 750,000 federal workers furloughed and others working with out pay. Funding for the Supplemental Diet Help Program, or SNAP, is lapsing after Friday — affecting 1 in 8 People who rely it to assist purchase groceries.
Nonetheless, it’s been principally enterprise as regular for Trump over the previous 29 days.
“It’s like that country song: ‘Sometimes falling feels like flying for a little while,’” mentioned Paul Begala, a Democratic strategist and former adviser to President Invoice Clinton, who presided over two shutdowns between 1995 and 1996. “They seem to be like, ‘So far, so good, man.’”
Ballroom constructing, golf, fundraisers and journeys
Trump is on a six-day swing by way of Asia, after a latest, whirlwind Center East go to to have a good time a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal in Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza. He hosted a White Home fundraiser for main donors to his $300 million ballroom that has seen building crews tear down the East Wing, and held one other fundraiser at his Mar-a-Lago property in Florida.
Members of the Cupboard have equally hit the highway. Vice President JD Vance traveled to Israel, Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem went to Portland, Oregon, to decry protests there, and Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth obtained a firsthand have a look at TOPGUN, the U.S. Navy’s elite fighter weapons faculty in Nevada.
Solely 32% of the employees within the Govt Workplace of the President have been set to be furloughed through the present shutdown, in response to information in a contingency report from the White Home price range workplace. That’s down from 61% over the last shutdown in 2018-19, throughout Trump’s first time period. About half of the Govt Mansion’s crew of housekeepers, ushers, valets and butlers are presently working. Final time, greater than 70% have been furloughed.
It’s typically been exhausting to inform a shutdown is going on with so many staffers remaining at their desks.
“I don’t even know if they’re supposed to be working, but they wouldn’t miss a day,” Trump mentioned throughout an occasion final week.
It’s a departure from Trump’s first time period, when he minimize out weekend golf video games and canceled a deliberate journey to Mar-a-Lago for Christmas through the 2018 shutdown, which stretched into the brand new 12 months. He made a shock go to to go to troops in Iraq then, however nixed plans to go to the Swiss alps for the World Financial Discussion board.
When internet hosting Clemson College soccer gamers to have a good time their NCAA soccer championship, Trump introduced in burgers and fries from McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s and pizza from Domino’s due to White Home employees furloughs.
This time, the president had Republican senators over for a lunch that featured burgers, too. However employees made them. “They do great food at the White House,” Trump mentioned.
‘A smarter approach’
Barreling forward like there’s no shutdown has some political benefits for Trump, allies say: It permits him to look presidential whereas avoiding congressional bickering.
“It’s a much smarter approach,” mentioned Marc Quick, chief of employees to former Vice President Mike Pence.
In Trump’s first-term shutdown, he rejected a congressional compromise to pressure the federal government to shut — an try and win funding for a wall alongside the U.S.-Mexico border. Then, he named Pence as lead negotiator to finish the shutdown whereas involving his son-in-law Jared Kushner — creating the visible of the pair having to go to Capitol Hill.
“The first go-around, he was pretty clear with cameras rolling: He said he wanted the shutdown. He claimed ownership,” Quick mentioned. This time? “The White House has been clear about not owning it.”
Again in 1995, Begala recalled speaking technique with Clinton throughout a sweaty summer season run at Fort McNair in Washington, and telling the president that Republican Home Speaker Newt Gingrich and his get together “think they can roll you” to make cuts to Medicare by threatening a shutdown.
Clinton responded: “‘My favorite movie’s ‘High Noon,’” Begala recalled, referring to the 1952 Western by which a marshal stands as much as outlaws. ”‘They do that — then I just have a Gary Cooper, High Noon moment. That’s simple.’”
When Gingrich later got here to the White Home to barter, Begala mentioned Clinton refused to budge, though some advisers urged him to chop a deal. Voters in the end blamed congressional Republicans greater than the White Home for the federal government closing, and Clinton was simply reelected in 1996.
“That could have really gone badly for Clinton,” Begala mentioned. “But he did understand that standing strong and having a Gary Cooper moment would be really good for him.”
Previous White Homes highlighted shutdown results
Throughout the 16-day authorities shutdown of 2013, President Barack Obama scrapped a four-country Asia journey and skipped the swanky Congressional Hispanic Caucus gala. His schedule featured occasions meant to indicate the consequences of the shutdown, together with visiting a Maryland building agency that benefited from the form of federal enterprise loans being jeopardized with the federal government shuttered.
In 2019, as that shutdown dragged on, Trump’s White Home officers acknowledged feeling stress to finish it, anxious that Trump’s polling numbers may endure. This time, the administration’s public messaging has been accountable the Democrats whereas signaling that it’s ready to attend — even warning of coming journey delays through the Thanksgiving holidays.
“President Trump is continuing to work night and day on behalf of American people,” White Home spokesperson Abigail Jackson mentioned in a press release. “The entire administration, including the president, will continue highlighting the workers and families who are suffering because of the Democrats’ decision to shut down the government.”
Invoice Daley, a White Home chief of employees to Obama within the years previous to the 2013 shutdown, mentioned Trump isn’t performing like he’s feeling political warmth to reopen the federal government, even earlier than subsequent Tuesday’s gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey — each residence to sizable federal workforces.
“My guess is, he thinks it helps him,” Daley mentioned, “until — and I don’t know if it will — the bottom falls out.”
Democrats are demanding an extension of expiring tax credit which have helped tens of millions of individuals afford medical insurance, whereas Republicans have refused to barter till the federal government is reopened.
Trump has mentioned the federal government should reopen, but additionally used the shutdown to chop federal positions and goal applications Democrats favor, whereas redirecting funds to his personal priorities — like overlaying navy paychecks. The president has even mentioned of closed museums, “We should probably just open them,” although that hasn’t but occurred.
People, in the meantime, are divided on who’s accountable.
Roughly 6 in 10 say Trump and congressional Republicans have “a great deal” or “quite a bit” of accountability for the shutdown, whereas 54% say the identical about Democrats in Congress, in response to a latest ballot from The Related Press-NORC Heart for Public Affairs Analysis.
Mike McCurry, a White Home press secretary underneath Clinton, mentioned Democrats have but to choose a transparent shutdown message that has resonated. Trump has the presidency to ship his take, however McCurry famous he has been “mercurial.”
“It is not likely we’re going to have clear winners or losers after this,” McCurry mentioned. “It’s going to be a bit of a muddle.”
