At the stroke of midnight on October 1, the clock ran out on Congressional efforts to pass a new spending bill for the year ahead. All but the most essential federal staff will be furloughed and government functions paused. This will greatly impact food safety, clean water, and public health — and we can blame Trump and Congressional Republicans. 

They are insisting on a bill that allows Trump and Congressional Republicans to slash and eliminate important funding for people and the environment once the bill is already passed. Democrats must continue to stand strong against any spending bill that doesn’t guarantee funding for essential water and health programs. 

How this ends will depend largely on public pressure. But how it began is clear: this is on Trump and Congressional Republicans. 

To protect vital funding for our health and environment, we all need to encourage our friends, family, and neighbors to contact their members of Congress and urge them to fight for a spending bill that preserves essential services. 

Here are five reasons why this is the Trump Shutdown:

1. Trump and Congressional Republicans Insist on Underhanded Tactics to Make Destructive Cuts

Federal funding bills are traditionally negotiated and passed on a bipartisan basis, since passing them through the Senate requires 60 votes. Trump and Congressional Republicans upended this process earlier this year. 

With a slight majority, they passed legislation to claw back already agreed-upon and appropriated funding for public television, public radio, and other programs via a seldom-used process called fast-track or partisan “rescission.” Not satisfied with what his minions in Congress would cut, Trump then refused to spend additional funds agreed to in Congress.

Now, Trump and Congressional Republicans are playing Lucy to the Congressional Democrats’ Charlie Brown. They want Democrats to pass a bill maintaining funding at essentially current levels until November 21, but then they plan to claw back funding for essential programs with a simple majority through the partisan rescission process. 

On the chopping block could include funding for water infrastructure (Trump has said he wants to cut funding for that by 90%), staffing at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), food safety and good agriculture programs, public health measures, and more. 

Senate Democrats have set a simple red line — any deal they agree to has to be binding. Any funding bill must include a provision saying that what’s passed won’t be cut later by Congressional Republicans. 

We cannot trust Trump to keep his word. He has a long history of breaking deals and ignoring Congress. Holding him and his allies to their commitment and taking away their “undo” button on funding is essential.

By going along with Trump’s earlier cuts and refusing to add this provision, Trump and Congressional Republicans give away the game and make it clear this shutdown is on them. 

2. Trump and Congressional Republicans Refused to Negotiate with Democrats

For weeks, Democrats reached out to Trump and Congressional Republicans to negotiate funding bills and keep the government running. Trump and his allies refused to negotiate.

They’ve insisted on writing their own funding bill without any Democratic input and then dared Democrats to vote it down. Schumer and Jeffries had a meeting scheduled with Trump last week, only to have him cancel. 

Trump finally relented and met with them on September 29, just two days before a shutdown, but he didn’t indicate any willingness to compromise. It was simply not a serious attempt to reach an agreement. Meanwhile, Vice President J.D. Vance just used the time after the meeting to spout lies about Democratic demands. 

3. House Republicans Left for Vacation as the Government Shut Down

House Republicans are so unserious about reaching an agreement to keep the government open that they aren’t even in town! They left for vacation on September 19 and don’t currently plan on coming back until October 6, six days into a government shutdown. 

They were supposed to be back on September 29, but extended their break, refusing to do the work necessary to reach a deal to keep the government open. Speaker Johnson won’t even swear in a newly elected Democratic House member from Arizona. 

House Democrats are ready to work and pass funding to keep the government open. It’s inconceivable that as the government shuts down, House Republicans are on vacation — but here we are. 

4. Trump Is Not Serious About Governing

If Trump were serious about governing and keeping key programs going, he could have reached a deal with Democrats weeks or months ago. But as his DOGE rampage through government has shown, he’s not serious about making government work. 

Evidence of this is clear, from the arbitrary firings — and subsequent rehirings — of government workers to the on-again-off-again tariffs. Rather than try to make a deal with Democrats, he’s resorted to posting a racist AI deepfake video depicting Democratic leaders. He’s making light of his own political impasse, which will have a very real impact on millions of Americans. 

5. A Shutdown Is What Trump Wants 

Trump’s government shutdown is part and parcel with his overall agenda to dismantle the government. Trump is working overtime to raze core functions of government and basic protections for workers, health, and the environment. 

He’s already directed agencies to plan for mass firings during the shutdown, threatening to fire furloughed federal workers, which includes about 90% of EPA staff. This will mean dirtier water, less clean air, and more people getting sick.

Trump and his cartel of oligarchs know a functioning government protects us and eats into their profits —  so they welcome a Trump Shutdown as an excuse to dismantle it further. 

Take Action Now to Fund the Government

It’s critical that we have a functioning government that can provide key services and protect our food, water, and health. Trump and Congressional Republicans have forced a government shutdown in an attempt to make more cuts to essential services. 

Congressional Democrats must continue to stand up to the Trump Shutdown and demand government funding legislation that protects these programs. Contact your Senators today!