Shutdown Belongs to GOP, Say Dems, After Trump Responds to Talks With 'Racist AI Video'

Anyone wondering "who owns" the looming government shutdown following negotiations between President Donald Trump and congressional leaders that went nowhere on Monday should "look no further" said one Democratic lawmaker, than the racist, artificial intelligence-created video posted by the president shortly after the meeting, which depicted House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries with a Mexican sombrero and fake mustache.

"Democrats came to the White House to keep the government open," said Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.). "The president answered with a racist AI video."

Trump posted the video of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Jeffries, also of New York, after they emerged from the meeting, where Schumer said "large differences" remained between Democrats and Republicans over healthcare provisions in a government spending bill.

"Bigotry will get you nowhere," said Jeffries in response to Trump's posted video, before adding: "Cancel the Cuts. Lower the Cost. Save Healthcare. We are NOT backing down."

Democrats have consistently called for an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies that are slated to expire at the end of the year and to reverse Medicaid cuts included in the Republicans' One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Republicans including Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) have falsely claimed the Democrats are pushing to fund "free healthcare" for undocumented immigrants in their budget proposal to keep the government funded through October.

The Democratic proposal would restore the eligibility of "lawfully present" immigrants for ACA subsidies, but would not change the fact that undocumented immigrants are not eligible for healthcare plans through the ACA or coverage through Medicare, Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

In the fake video posted on Truth Social by Trump, Schumer was shown making statements he has never made about the Democrats needing to give undocumented immigrants free healthcare so they will vote for the party—which they're also not eligible to do.

Jeffries, who is Black, was also shown wearing a sombrero as mariachi music played in the background.

"This is peak Donald Trump and it’s a goddamn tragedy for our country," said Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.).

The Republicans need at least 60 votes in the Senate to pass their spending bill to keep the government funded through November 21, meaning they won't be able to pass it without at least eight Democrats joining them.

The GOP-controlled House passed the Republicans' funding extension this month, but it failed in the Senate. Johnson has adjourned the House until October 7.

On Monday, Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) posted a video on social media as she arrived at the Capitol for what had been scheduled to be a "voting day" for members of the House.

"Republicans cancelled votes and didn't show up for work tonight," said Stansbury, "because they would rather see the government shut down than negotiate a bipartisan deal to save your healthcare, to keep the government open, and to keep federal workers working, which is exactly why we are here."

Democrats have warned that up to 15 million people could lose their healthcare coverage and 24 million could see their monthly insurance premiums rise by 75%—per an analysis by KFF—under the Republican spending plan.

Schumer said that at the White House meeting Monday, he and Jeffries "laid out to the president some of the consequences of what’s happening in healthcare."

"By his face, he looked like he heard about them for the first time," said Schumer. “It’s in the president’s hands whether we avoid a shutdown or not. He has to convince the Republican leaders."

Republicans are planning to force another vote in the Senate on the House-passed funding extension on Tuesday, ahead of the midnight shutdown deadline.

The Trump administration has said it will unleash a new wave of mass firings in the federal government if the government shuts down.

On social media Monday, The New Republic posted that the "tired punditry of shutdown politics doesn't adequately illustrate Republican villainy."

"This shutdown is happening because the aforementioned party of dictatorship wants it to happen so it can destroy the federal government and vastly reduce the number of things it does for people," said the magazine. "What that means: massive layoffs in many departments and agencies, with the hope of making as many as possible permanent. The Trump White House wants to cut the State Department by 84%, the Department of Housing and Urban Development by 43%, and the Labor Department by 35%. If the government shuts down Tuesday night, it wants to furlough as many people as it can get away with. Except, of course, in two areas: immigration enforcement and defense. There, it’s party time."

Republican leaders, including Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), have claimed Democrats will be responsible for a government shutdown, saying the two parties can negotiate over healthcare after the funding extension is passed.

But, said Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), "Republicans are still refusing to come to the table" regarding Democrats' demands.

"They control every chamber in Congress and the White House," she said. "This shutdown is on them."