The government shutdown is poised to stretch for at least another ten days, possibly two weeks, or even longer, according to Louisiana Republican Sen. John Kennedy, who on Thursday slammed the ongoing bipartisan deadlock in the Senate during an appearance on Fox News’ “The Ingraham Angle.”
Kennedy, expressing extreme pessimism about a swift resolution, revealed he’s out of options after repeatedly voting to reopen the government, only to see those efforts blocked by Democrats.
“I think we’re going to be shut down at least 10 more days, maybe two weeks, maybe longer than that. And I don’t know what else to do,” Kennedy told host Laura Ingraham. “I’ve voted 14 times to open up government. They’ve voted 14 times to keep it closed down.”
The comments come as Democrats reportedly vowed to keep the government closed, believing that a quick resolution could damage the party’s standing following recent sweeping election wins.
Kennedy dismissed initial hopes that the impasse might end by the end of the week, characterizing the frantic negotiation efforts as futile.
“Some of my Republican colleagues are meeting with the Democrats. In fact, most members of the Senate are running around like ants in a sugar bowl, like a bunch of headless chickens,” he said, adding, “But in my opinion, we’re nowhere near getting out of this shutdown.”
The Senator also cast doubt on promises that moderate Democrats were ready to break ranks and support a deal.
“The Democrats, supposedly, we were told today at lunch that we’re going to have a vote tomorrow and that the so-called moderate Democrats have come together and they’re going to support us. I think they’re still stamping their little feet,” Kennedy stated. “And I’ve never believed any of this stuff. Around here, it’s not what you say, it’s what you do that shows what you believe, and everything else is just cottage cheese.”
The core of the conflict appears to revolve around expiring Obamacare subsidies. Republicans have proposed a plan to end the shutdown by moving forward with three full-year spending measures, but their proposal notably excludes the extension of the enhanced Obamacare subsidies.
This omission has reportedly deepened divisions among Democrats, with several lawmakers refusing to support reopening the government unless a final deal guarantees the subsidy extension—a measure that both House Speaker Mike Johnson and President Trump have previously supported.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has been utilizing tariff revenue to bridge the funding gap for essential programs like Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to keep them running through November.
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