Donald Trump has sent a fiery public message to Democrats after abruptly cancelling a planned meeting with their leaders, just days before Congress must act to prevent a government shutdown.
On his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump accused Democrats of making “ridiculous” demands in exchange for their votes to keep the government open. He claimed they were pushing for more than a trillion dollars in new spending to fund programs he said included free healthcare for undocumented immigrants, taxpayer-funded gender transition surgeries for minors, and benefits for people who are not eligible, including the deceased. He also accused them of wanting open borders, protections for criminal immigrants, and policies that allow transgender women to compete in women’s sports.
According to Trump, these so-called “radical left policies” are proof that Democrats are out of touch with voters. He said his 2024 reelection — which he described as a “historic landslide” — was won in large part because the public rejected the Democrats’ platform.
He reminded Democrats that “there are consequences to losing elections,” saying they still haven’t accepted that reality. Trump also accused them of trying to eliminate a \$50 billion fund to support rural and vulnerable hospitals — a program he noted was passed only with Republican votes and signed into law by him. He argued that Democrats no longer know what it means to “put America first,” accusing them of focusing solely on high taxes, weak borders, and policies most Americans don’t support.
Congress faces a tight deadline, with a government shutdown looming if lawmakers don’t pass a spending bill by Tuesday. Trump’s refusal to negotiate with Democrats has raised the stakes even higher, especially since Republicans alone may not have the votes to pass key priorities like a major tax cut.
In his letter, Trump claimed that Republicans represent “common sense” while Democrats represent policies that would “destroy America.” He said he is open to meeting with Democratic leaders, but only if they abandon what he called “radicalized quicksand” and agree to his principles. Until then, he said, they are holding Americans “hostage” by threatening to close the government.
Trump ended his note with a challenge, putting the responsibility back on Democratic leaders. “The ball is in your court,” he wrote. “I look forward to meeting with you when you become realistic about the things our Country stands for. Do the right thing!”
