Donald Trump Wants To Shutdown Government… But There’s A Problem – Former President Donald Trump is calling for congressional Republicans to force a government shutdown to undermine the criminal proceedings against him by federal prosecutors.
A shutdown, which will begin on October 1 if Congress does not agree to a fiscal spending plan by the end of September, would see hundreds of thousands of federal workers out of work.
Moreover, government services would abruptly halt, resulting in processing delays for the millions of Americans who rely on federal programs.
In comments on his social media platform Truth Social on Wednesday evening, Trump wrote: “A very important deadline is approaching at the end of the month,” in reference to the deadline to pass a funding bill. “Republicans in Congress can and must defund all aspects of Crooked Joe Biden’s weaponized Government that refuses to close the Border, and treats half the Country as Enemies of the State.”
“This is also the last chance to defund these political prosecutions against me and other Patriots,” he added. “They failed on the debt limit, but they must not fail now. Use the power of the purse and defend the Country!”
For Trump, there’s a problem.
Federal Prosecutions
Federal criminal proceedings are exempt from shutdowns. A Department of Justice memo from September 2021 explicitly ruled out any disruption from a government shutdown, and past statements suggest it can operate for weeks without further funding. “Criminal litigation will continue without interruption as an activity essential to the safety of human life and the protection of property,” the note reads.
Trump’s supporters within the House of Representatives are aware of this. Instead of a shutdown, MAGA Republicans are trying to insert provisions in funding legislation aimed at defunding or limiting law enforcement from investigating the GOP frontrunner on the unevidenced basis that they are politically motivated charges. Whether such a plan will work in the deeply divided GOP is unknown, with 12 appropriation measures still to be passed.
Nevertheless, Trump’s attempts to shutdown government have prompted fury from congressional Democrats. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said on Thursday that House Republicans “are too extreme to ever be trusted.”
Moreover, Rep. Adam Schiff, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, said Trump’s demands posed a threat to working Americans and the economy. “Let’s be clear about what the former president is saying here. House Republicans should shut down the government unless the prosecutions against him are shut down,” Schiff posted on X, the site formerly known as Twitter. “He would deny paychecks to millions of working families & devastate the US economy, all in the service of himself.”
Congress has until Saturday, September 30, to approve a spending plan to avoid a shutdown.
Shay Bottomley is a British journalist based in Canada. He has written for the Western Standard, Maidenhead Advertiser, Slough Express, Windsor Express, Berkshire Live and Southend Echo, and has covered notable events including the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
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