US President Donald Trump on Saturday lashed out at Democrats over the ongoing government shutdown, accusing them of “destroying” the US’s “great, miracle economy” and demanded that Republicans “terminate the filibuster” to push through his agenda.
“The Democrats are winning in that they are destroying our great, miracle economy, which is exactly what they set out to do. TERMINATE THE FILIBUSTER!,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Trump also renewed his attack on Obamacare, urging Senate Republicans to redirect federal funds meant for insurance companies directly to citizens.
“I am recommending to Senate Republicans that the hundreds of billions of dollars currently being sent to money-sucking insurance companies in order to save the bad healthcare provided by Obamacare be sent directly to the people so that they can purchase their own, much better healthcare—and have money left over,” Trump wrote.
He argued that the move would “take from the big, bad insurance companies” and “terminate, per dollar spent, the worst healthcare anywhere in the world — Obamacare.”
The shutdown, now the longest in US history, has hit federal workers the hardest, with paychecks halted and essential services strained. Food assistance under the SNAP programme has also been delayed and airlines have cancelled hundreds of flights due to staffing shortages.
Meanwhile, the Senate is working through the weekend in hopes of reaching a bipartisan deal to end the deadlock. Republican fiscal conservatives have floated a temporary compromise to continue spending at last year’s levels — a plan they argue could prevent further damage without expanding the federal deficit.
“Many conservatives have been reluctant to support continuing resolutions in the past,” said Matthew Dickerson, budget director at the Economic Policy Innovation Center, Politico reported. “But the same dynamics are in play now, leading conservatives in Congress and the administration to see a long-term CR as the most responsible compromise,” Dickerson added.