Schumer warns that if government shuts down, ‘Doge has a plan in place to exploit the crisis for maximum destruction’
Democratic minority leader Chuck Schumer just spoke on the Senate floor and reiterated his support for the government spending bill that will prevent a shutdown from beginning at midnight.
He warned that if government funding were to lapse, Donald Trump, Elon Musk and the so-called “department of government efficiency” (Doge) would be free to make even more disruptive cuts to federal agencies.
“If government were to shut down, Doge has a plan in place to exploit the crisis for maximum destruction,” Schumer said.
He continued:
A shutdown will allow Doge to shift into overdrive. It would give Donald Trump and Doge the keys to the city, state and country. Donald Trump and Elon Musk would be free to destroy vital government services at a much faster rate than they can right now and over a much broader field of destruction that they would render.
In a shutdown, Donald Trump and Doge will have the power to determine what is considered essential and what is not, and their views on what is not essential would be mean and vicious, and would decimate vital services and cause unimaginable harm to the American people.
Key events
Nancy Pelosi’s statement against the government funding bill was a notable flareup of infighting within the Democratic party, and between the House and Senate.
Though she’s no longer House speaker or party leader, Pelosi remains a force in Democratic politics, and played a major role in the pressure campaign that pushed Joe Biden to end his bid for a second term. Now, she has urged Senate Democrats not to back a continuing resolution to keep the government open – a position that puts her at odds with minority leader Chuck Schumer, who views the bill’s passage as a necessary evil.
Pelosi has long put women’s rights at the center of her politics, and noted in her statement that senator Patty Murray and congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, two top appropriators, are both against the bill.
Here’s what Murray has said about it:
Good morning. I am a firm 100% NO on House Republicans’ slush fund CR.
I will NOT vote to let Elon and Trump pick winners and losers with your taxpayer dollars.
Senators were not elected to beg Trump for federal resources.
And DeLauro:
Last week, House Democrats opposed giving Elon Musk and Trump a blank check funding bill that would allow them to gut programs and services families rely on.
The Senate must pass a short-term spending bill so we can pass bipartisan bills that protect programs for our communities.
New York state Democrats have thrown their support behind Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer after the senator said he would vote for the Republican funding bill in order to avert a government shutdown.
In a statement on Friday, chair Jay S Jacobs said:
“Reading the angry comments directed toward Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer by fellow Democrats compels me to weigh in on this issue. Too many Democrats prefer the ‘circular firing squad’ and ‘eating our own’ to the more effective approach of finding the right long-term strategy. Once again, this is such a case.
Shutting down the government would lend legitimacy to President Trump’s efforts to cut funding from all of the departments and agencies of the government using the argument that he was forced – by the Democrats – to not spend the money that was not allocated. Every day that the government remains shut and on austerity would be another day of MAGA mayhem.
Senator Schumer is 100% correct. Anger about his reluctance to invoke the use of the filibuster – an arcane rule of the Senate that we regularly condemn when employed by the other side in order to thwart the wishes of the democratically elected majority in that body – as odious as it is to contemplate the reality of a Republican majority – may feel good giving vent to our frustration, but will work against our long-term desire to win back the Congress in 2026 and the Presidency in 2028.”
On Friday, the Democratic representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez condemned Schumer’s “acquiesce” to the Republican bill bill, saying: “We have time to correct course on this decision. Senate Democrats can vote no.”
Secretary of state Marco Rubio on anti-war protesters: ‘Expect more visas will be revoked’
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with G7 foreign ministers in Canada, secretary of state Marco Rubio has warned that more visas of anti-war protesters who are on temporary status in the US will be revoked, Reuters reports.
“In the days to come, you should expect more visas will be revoked as we identify people that we should have never allowed in,” Rubio said, his comments following immigration authorities’ arrest and detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University student and green card holder whom Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to deport over his activism against Israel’s deadly war in Gaza.
Pelosi on government funding bill: ‘A devastating assault on the wellbeing of working families’
California Democratic representative and former House speaker Nancy Pelosi has released a statement in response to the government funding bill that is now in the Senate.
Calling it a “devastating assault on the wellbeing of working-class families,” Pelosi said:
Donald Trump and Elon Musk have offered the Congress a false choice between a government shutdown or a blank check that makes a devastating assault on the wellbeing of working families across America. Let’s be clear: neither is a good option for the American people. But this false choice that some are buying instead of fighting is unacceptable. I salute leader Hakeem Jeffries for his courageous rejection of this false choice, and I am proud of my colleagues in the House Democratic caucus for their overwhelming vote against this bill.
“Democratic senators should listen to the women. Appropriations leaders Rosa DeLauro and Patty Murray have eloquently presented the case that we must have a better choice: a four-week funding extension to keep government open and negotiate a bipartisan agreement. America has experienced a Trump shutdown before – but this damaging legislation only makes matters worse. Democrats must not buy into this false choice. We must fight back for a better way. Listen to the women, For The People.”
Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer has argued that allowing the government to shut down would supercharge Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s efforts to gut federal agencies.
But the Federal Unionists Network, a group of federal employees that opposes the administration’s campaign to dramatically downsize government, disagrees. In a statement, spokesperson Chris Dols says the group believes the funding bill under consideration would make the situation worse:
Let us be clear: federal workers have been doing their best to provide services all while navigating a daily assault that has amounted to an effective shutdown of our government through an acceleration of mass firings, illegal agency closures, ending critical, life-saving programs and services to our communities. Americans want a government that works for them, not against them.
Once again, Congress is failing in its responsibility to the American people. If passed, this [continuing resolution] will give Trump and Musk the power to complete their assault on federal workers. That is why the solution must be to organize across industry, union, demographic and political affiliation to stop this corporate coup.
There’s definitely ire among Senate Democrats right now towards Chuck Schumer, their long-serving leader, over his plan to vote for the government funding bill.
Schumer’s support may give the measure enough votes for passage, though we still don’t know that for sure. Many other Democratic senators disagree with Schumer and see stopping the bill as an opportunity to stand up to the Trump administration, even if it sparks a shutdown.
The vibes are bad enough that the Associated Press reports the Democratic senator Raphael Warnock hinted he thinks its time for Schumer to go:
I think come ‘26, ‘28 we’ll get some new leadership.
He’s far from the only Democrat expressing such sentiment:
Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s much-vaunted department of “government efficiency” may not be all that popular with voters, the Guardian’s Martin Pengelly reports:
Donald Trump and Elon Musk face increasing headwinds in their attempt to brutally slash federal budgets and staffing, after two judges ruled against the firing of probationary employees by Musk’s so-called “department of government efficiency” (Doge) and public polling revealed strong disapproval of the Tesla billionaire’s work.
Nonetheless, the gathering effects of the cuts were illustrated by news that federal agencies will begin to vacate hundreds of offices across the country this summer.
Citing internal documents from the General Services Administration (GSA), the Associated Press reported that dozens of federal leases were expected to end by 30 June, with hundreds more ending in the following months.
The GSA did not comment. But the AP reported that some agencies and lawmakers have appealed to exempt specific buildings, as several face 20 or more lease cancellations, among them the Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration, Department of Agriculture and US Geological Survey.
In his remarks, Chuck Schumer also reflected on the difficult choice facing Senate Democrats.
When the government spending bill was up for a vote in the House, Democrats were near-unanimous in their opposition, including several lawmakers who occupy seats vulnerable to being reclaimed by Republicans. Schumer’s insistence on passing the bill through the Senate has left vulnerable House Democrats in a bit of a lurch, and also led to a split within the party’s lawmakers in the upper chamber.
Here’s what Schumer had to say about the choice the party was facing:
Our caucus members have been torn between two awful alternatives, and my colleagues and I have wrestled with which alternative would be worse for the American people. Different senators come down on different sides of this question. But that does not mean that any Senate Democrat supports a shutdown.
Whatever the outcome, our caucus will be united in our determination to continue the long term fight to stop Donald Trump’s dangerous war on our democracy and on America’s working families.
Schumer warns that if government shuts down, ‘Doge has a plan in place to exploit the crisis for maximum destruction’
Democratic minority leader Chuck Schumer just spoke on the Senate floor and reiterated his support for the government spending bill that will prevent a shutdown from beginning at midnight.
He warned that if government funding were to lapse, Donald Trump, Elon Musk and the so-called “department of government efficiency” (Doge) would be free to make even more disruptive cuts to federal agencies.
“If government were to shut down, Doge has a plan in place to exploit the crisis for maximum destruction,” Schumer said.
He continued:
A shutdown will allow Doge to shift into overdrive. It would give Donald Trump and Doge the keys to the city, state and country. Donald Trump and Elon Musk would be free to destroy vital government services at a much faster rate than they can right now and over a much broader field of destruction that they would render.
In a shutdown, Donald Trump and Doge will have the power to determine what is considered essential and what is not, and their views on what is not essential would be mean and vicious, and would decimate vital services and cause unimaginable harm to the American people.
Reporters in the Capitol heard from Republican Senate majority leader John Thune, who said a few things about the struggle to pass a continuing resolution and prevent a government shutdown.
According to Punchbowl News, Thune said he has not yet spoken to Democratic minority leader Chuck Schumer today, who has backed the bill even as much of the rest of his party has not.
Thune also said he may allow some amendment votes on the legislation, which could potentially offer a way to assuage Democrats’ concerns.
Trump praises Chuck Schumer for backing government spending bill
In addition to talking to Vladimir Putin this morning, Donald Trump posted on Truth Social a note of congratulations for Chuck Schumer, the Democratic Senate minority leader who said yesterday he will vote to advance a bill to fund the government:
Congratulations to Chuck Schumer for doing the right thing — Took “guts” and courage! The big Tax Cuts, L.A. fire fix, Debt Ceiling Bill, and so much more, is coming. We should all work together on that very dangerous situation. A non pass would be a Country destroyer, approval will lead us to new heights. Again, really good and smart move by Senator Schumer. This could lead to something big for the USA, a whole new direction and beginning! DJT
Schumer’s support may – emphasis on may – attract the Democratic votes necessary to move the bill, which will prevent a shutdown that is set to begin at midnight.
Trump says ‘very good chance’ war in Ukraine can end after call with Putin
Donald Trump says he had a “very good and productive” phone call with Vladimir Putin and thinks “there is a very good chance” that the war in Ukraine can end.
The president’s comments come days after Ukraine said it would accept a 30-day ceasefire in the conflict, and Washington agreed to restart military and intelligence sharing.
For the latest on this breaking story, follow our Europe live blog:
