President Donald Trump has likened Democrats to Japanese kamikaze pilots during the longest U.S. government shutdown in history, which has reached 36 days. The僵局 stems from a prolonged stalemate over healthcare provisions in funding bills, with Trump accusing Democrats of risking the country’s stability by continuing the shutdown.
The government shutdown began on October 1, as the funding for federal operations ran out. The deadlock between Republicans and Democrats over a short-term funding bill to fund the government through November 21 marked the beginning of the shutdown. Trump and Republicans claim that Democrats want to provide illegal immigrants with healthcare, citing a provision in a potential funding measure that would repeal part of Trump’s tax and domestic policy bill known as the “big, beautiful bill” that reduced Medicaid eligibility for non-U.S. citizens. However, Democrats deny this and assert that they are merely seeking to permanently extend certain Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire at the end of 2025.
During a breakfast at the White House with Republican senators, Trump made the controversial comparison, drawing from his recent trip to Japan where he discussed the historical kamikaze pilots. He stated, “I think they’re kamikaze pilots. They’ll take down the country if they have to.” Trump also claimed that he did not see Democrats receiving the blame they deserved for the shutdown, saying, “It is Democrat-created, but I don’t think they’re getting really the blame that they should.” The government must open soon, he emphasized, as the situation is deteriorating.
Meanwhile, Senate Democrats have refused to support the Republican’s stopgap funding bill to reopen the government, insisting that any measure must include the extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized the Republican’s approach, stating, “The only plan Republicans have for healthcare seems to be to eliminate it, and then to tell working people to go figure it out on their own. That’s not a healthcare plan. That’s cruel.” The ongoing stalemate highlights the deepening division between the two political parties over healthcare policy and government funding.