Trump renews threat to cut 'Democrat Programs' during shutdown

Two weeks after the start of the government shutdown, President Donald Trump has seized on the stalemate for political gain, aiming to hurt Democrats while insulating his administration from the costs of the fiscal crisis he helped bring about.

Democrats and Republicans remain starkly at odds over how to reopen the government. But unlike previous presidents, Trump has been unwilling to meditate a truce. He has opted instead to stretch the limits of his power to cushion the blow for agencies and constituencies he supports, while embarking on a retribution campaign against his political foes.

That strategy came into clear view Tuesday, as Trump publicly renewed his threat to strip away funding from Democrats' priorities. He promised to release a list Friday of "Democratic programs" slated for cuts if the government remained closed, saying that some were "never going to open up again." At the same time, Trump assured that "Republican programs" would be spared.


The threat came days after the administration moved to lay off thousands of federal workers and cancel billions of dollars in federal aid. Each of the moves seemed designed to put pressure on Democrats, who say they will not back a Republican measure to fund the government unless it extends a set of soon-expiring federal health subsidies.

In the process, the White House has looked to shield itself from both the burden and the blame of the shutdown, given the severe consequences it could inflict on families, businesses and the economy.

Over the weekend, the administration rearranged the budget at the Pentagon so that it could pay military service members their full checks, even as many in government must forgo salaries while federal funding has lapsed. Trump and his aides have eyed similar budgetary maneuvers to pay other categories of workers, including federal law enforcement.

The president's split-screen tactics appeared to drive a deeper wedge between the White House and congressional Democrats. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the minority leader, said Tuesday that Trump and his aides had been "targeting programs that benefit everyday Americans since the beginning of his presidency," including through strong-arm budget ploys.

"Their intimidation tactics are not working and will continue to fail," he said.