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Government shutdown risk grows after Dems block Trump-backed extension for a 2nd time
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Senate Democrats again blocked Republicans’ short-term funding extension Tuesday afternoon, further increasing the odds of a partial government shutdown and thousands of federal workers going without paychecks.
Democratic lawmakers in the upper chamber, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., banded together to vote against the GOP’s continuing resolution (CR), a move that marked the second time Democrats impeded the legislation’s progress this month.
Congress has until midnight Wednesday to pass a CR or else the government will shut down. However, the possibility of that happening became increasingly unlikely throughout the day as Republicans and Democrats huddled behind closed doors in separate meetings hours before the vote.
The bill, which was passed by the House GOP earlier this month, failed on a largely party-line vote, 55-45. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., was the lone Republican to vote against the bill, while Sens. John Fetterman, D-Pa., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Angus King, I-Maine, crossed the aisle to vote for the funding extension.
JD VANCE SAYS GOVERNMENT LIKELY ‘HEADED INTO A SHUTDOWN’ AFTER TRUMP MEETS WITH DEMS
Senate Democrats offered a counter-proposal to congressional Republicans’ short-term funding extension that includes policy riders that are a red line for the GOP. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Democrats also tried to advance their own counter-proposal, but that bill was similarly blocked by Senate Republicans.
There is still time to avert a partial shutdown, but the window is closing fast. If Schumer and Thune are unable to find a path forward, it would mark the third shutdown under President Donald Trump.
When asked if he believed a shutdown was inevitable, Trump said, «Nothing is inevitable.»
«But I would say it’s probably likely, because they want to give healthcare to illegal immigrants, which will destroy healthcare for everybody else in our country,» he told reporters in the Oval Office. «And I didn’t see them bend even a little bit when I said we can’t do that.»
Shortly after the vote, however, the Office of Management and Budget released a memo that the appropriations for Fiscal Year 2025 would run out at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, making a shutdown official.
«It is unclear how long Democrats will maintain their untenable posture, making the duration of the shutdown difficult to predict,» the memo read.
Republicans want to pass a «clean» short-term extension until Nov. 21 that would give appropriators time to finish spending bills, while Democrats want to extend expiring Obamacare premium subsidies, among multiple other demands.
But the chances of a deal materializing, particularly one that meets Democrats’ demands, are slim. Both Senate leaders traded barbs throughout the day, first on the Senate floor and then in back-to-back press conferences.
SHUTDOWN EXPLAINED: WHO WORKS, WHO DOESN’T AND HOW MUCH IT COSTS
President Donald Trump during a bilateral meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, not pictured, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on April 7, 2025. (Yuri Gripas/Abaca/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Thune panned Democrats’ push for an extension to the expiring tax credits, which aren’t set to sunset until the end of this year, as well as their other demands to repeal the healthcare portion of Trump’s «big, beautiful bill» and clawback canceled funding for NPR and PBS.
Republicans argue that reversing the cuts from Trump’s megabill and undoing the public broadcasting rescission would amount to $1.5 trillion in spending tacked onto their short-term funding extension.
«These are things that they’re demanding as part of their so-called negotiation,» Thune said. «Ladies and gentlemen, there isn’t anything here to negotiate.»
Schumer, however, countered that the decision to shut the government down was «in their court» and charged that Democrats were working to solve the GOP’s «healthcare crisis.»
SCHUMER, DEMOCRATS FACE HEAT FOR SHIFTING STANCE ON GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN THREAT
An internal memo from the White House Office of Management and Budget obtained by Fox News warns agencies of reduction in force measures if a government shutdown cannot be avoided by Oct. 1, 2025. (Kevin Carter/Getty Images)
Still, despite scoring a meeting in the Oval Office with Trump and congressional Republican leaders, in addition to public guarantees from Thune and Republicans that Obamacare tax credits could be discussed after a shutdown was averted, Schumer demanded that Democrats be cut in on negotiations to craft a bipartisan bill.
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Earlier in the day, the top Senate Democrat commandeered a floor chart from Thune that showed how many times Democrats supported CRs under former President Joe Biden. He said that each time, Republicans were involved in the process.
«As leader, I sat down with the Republicans every one of those years and created a bipartisan bill. Their bill is partisan. They call it clean. We call it partisan. It has no Democratic input,» Schumer said. «Thune never talked to me.»
senate,chuck schumer,donald trump,government shutdown,politics
INTERNACIONAL
Israeli military arrests Greta Thunberg, flotilla activists after intercepting dozens of boats
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Israeli naval forces intercepted 39 vessels from a Gaza-bound aid flotilla on Thursday, detaining dozens of activists — including international climate activist Greta Thunberg and several European lawmakers, The Associated Press reported.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, which set out across the Mediterranean with more than 40 boats carrying about 500 activists, was the largest yet to attempt to break Israel’s blockade of the enclave, according to the AP.
The flotilla has since been reduced to a single vessel still headed toward Gaza. Organizers with the Global Sumud Flotilla said on X that the boat was last tracked only a few miles off Gaza’s coast before contact was lost. Activists told the AP that they believed the flotilla’s size would make it harder for Israeli forces to intercept every vessel.
Photos and surveillance footage captured the moment Israeli soldiers in helmets and night vision goggles boarded the flotilla. A photo from Israel’s foreign ministry showed Thunberg, the most prominent of the flotilla’s passengers, accompanied by soldiers following the interception. Israeli officials said those detained included Thunberg, former Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau and European Parliament member Rima Hassan, according to the AP.
ISRAEL CLAIMS GRETA THUNBERG’S FLOTILLA SEEKING TO BREAK GAZA BLOCKADE HAS HAMAS TIES, CITES DOCUMENTS
Climate activist Greta Thunberg sits near an Israeli soldier after Israeli naval forces intercepted a Gaza-bound flotilla. (Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs )
Israel’s foreign ministry said on X that the activists were «safe and in good health» and would be transferred to Israel to be deported to Europe.
«The Hamas-Sumud provocation is over,» the Israel’s foreign ministry said in a post on X Thursday. «None of the Hamas-Sumud provocation yachts has succeeded in its attempt to enter an active combat zone or breach the lawful naval blockade. All the passengers are safe and in good health. They are making their way safely to Israel, from where they will be deported to Europe.»
«One last vessel of this provocation remains at a distance,» the post added. «If it approaches, its attempt to enter an active combat zone and breach the blockade will also be prevented.»
ITALY’S MELONI SAYS GAZA FLOTILLA RISKS ESCALATION, COULD ‘BLOW UP’ POTENTIAL CEASEFIRE DEAL
Israeli forces stormed a Global Sumud Flotilla vessel on Oct. 2, 2025, as the boat attempted to sail toward Gaza. (Global Sumud Flotilla via AP)
News of the interception also drew condemnation and sparked demonstrations in cities including Rome, Naples, Istanbul, Athens and Buenos Aires, the AP said. Italy’s largest trade union announced a one-day general strike for Friday in protest, while more rallies were expected across the globe on Thursday, the outlet added.
Anti-Israel activists aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla, including climate activist Greta Thunberg, before the vessels were intercepted by Israeli forces. (Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
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The flotilla is part of a series of international efforts to challenge Israel’s blockade, which has been in place since 2007 after Hamas took control of Gaza. Previous attempts by activist flotillas to break the blockade have largely failed and sometimes sparked deadly clashes, including during the 2010 Gaza Freedom Flotilla raid.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Global Sumud Flotilla did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
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INTERNACIONAL
El éxodo de la ciudad de Gaza está desbordando los esfuerzos de socorro, según las agencias de ayuda
Palestinos huyen hacia el sur de la Ciudad de Gaza el 24 de septiembre de 2025. En medio del ataque terrestre del ejército israelí contra la Ciudad de Gaza, la enorme afluencia de gazatíes que huyen hacia el sur ha sobrecargado aún más los servicios humanitarios, que, según organizaciones de ayuda, eran insuficientes incluso antes de la llegada de muchos miles más. (Saher Alghorra/The New York Times)Actitud
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INTERNACIONAL
Media bashes Trump admin messaging for pinning shutdown on Dems, White House fires back
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EXCLUSIVE: The White House responded to various reports that President Donald Trump’s administration is breaking federal law by including commentary that blames Senate Democrats for the government shutdown in out-of-office emails and letters furloughing federal employees.
A number of reports suggested that including partisan messaging in official emails and communication channels could be a violation of the Anti-Lobbying Act, which prevents federal funding from being used in lobbying efforts.
«The Trump Administration is committed to sharing the truth with the American people, and it’s simply a fact that the Democrats shut down the government,» White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital. «Democrats opposed the clean CR that they supported just 6 months ago and 13 times under the Biden Administration because they want free health care for illegal aliens.»
President Trump’s White House denied claims that blaming Democrats for the shutdown breaks federal law. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)
WHITE HOUSE PREPARES FOR ‘IMMINENT’ FEDERAL LAYOFFS AFTER DEMOCRATS FORCE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
«And now, the Democrats are upset the Administration is sharing the truth — they are desperately trying to lie to the American people because they know their shutdown is hurting families and workers around the country,» Jackson added. «Unfortunately for the Democrats, facts are facts.»
Atop the Department of Justice website, a red banner reads: «Democrats have shut down the government. Department of Justice websites are not currently regularly updated.»
Fox News Digital obtained a DOJ memo which was sent to all employees of the agency outlining the plan for furloughing federal employees in the event of a shutdown, stating DOJ «has contingency plans in place for executing an orderly shutdown of activities that would be affected by any lapse in appropriations forced by Congressional Democrats.»
The Department of Justice sent out an internal memo blaming Democrats for the shutdown and detailing what furloughing employees would look like. (DOJ)
JOHNSON SAYS SCHUMER HANDED TRUMP ‘KEYS TO THE KINGDOM’ WITH GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN DECISION
«Unfortunately, Democrats are blocking this Continuing Resolution in the U.S. Senate due to unrelated policy demands,» the memo continues. «A funding lapse will result in certain Department activities ceasing due to a lack of appropriated funding, and designated pre-notified employees will be furloughed subject to certain laws and regulations.»
On visiting the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) website, a pop-up appears on the center page reading that reads: «The Radical Left in Congress shut down the government. HUD will use available resources to help Americans in need.»
Reports also suggested that the administration may be in violation of the Hatch Act, a federal law that prevents tax dollars from being spent in a partisan or politically biased manner, as a result of the messaging.
The HUD website directs blame to Democrats for the government shutdown. (HUD)
SHUTDOWN EXPLAINED: WHO WORKS, WHO DOESN’T AND HOW MUCH IT COSTS
Legal expert Andrew Cherkasy, co-founder of Golden Law, Inc. and former Air Force JAG, told Fox News Digital that «the Hatch Act does not apply to the President or Vice President. It does apply to most other federal employees.»
«The law is intended to prohibit government officials from using their official authority to interfere with, or affect elections,» Cherkasky explained. «The President of the United States and his agents under his authority have an unquestionable constitutional right to speak directly to the American people about what is happening in their government and who is responsible for it.»
The Hatch Act, which was signed into law in 1939, is enforced by the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC), and is also designed to keep federal employees from influencing or interfering with elections while working in any official capacity.
A demonstrator holds a sign protesting the government shutdown at the James V. Hansen Federal Building on Jan. 10, 2019, in Ogden, Utah. (Natalie Behring/Getty Images)
BLAME GAME: GOP SPOTLIGHTS ‘SCHUMER SHUTDOWN’ WHILE DEMS LASH OUT AT REPUBLICANS AHEAD OF 2026 MIDTERMS
«For years, unelected bureaucrats and left-leaning agencies openly leaked, editorialized, and interfered in policy debates without consequence,» Cherkasky told Fox. «The Hatch Act does not prohibit the President from holding democrats accountable for shutting down the government.»
The Biden Administration also partook in messaging that pushed certain legislation. Biden’s Office of Management and Budget issued a statement regarding the Right to IVF Act last June, stating: «When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade nearly two years ago, it paved the way for Republican elected officials’ extreme, out-of-touch agenda, which has eroded access to reproductive health care for families across the country.»
The Obama Administration issued similar messaging in 2013 specifically blaming Republicans for a government shutdown threat, saying «House Republicans are pushing the Government toward shutdown.»
The federal government entered a partial shutdown at midnight Wednesday morning after a bill that would fund the government through Nov. 21 failed in the Senate.
Senate Democrats pushed for Obamacare subsidies that were set to expire to be included in the legislation, and reportedly felt sidelined in negotiations surrounding government funding.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., attends a news conference about the government shutdown, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, on Capitol Hill, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
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Despite a Republican majority in both the House and the Senate, the spending bill requires 60 votes to pass in the Senate, meaning some Democrat senators will need to break ranks with Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to prevent the bill from failing.
Preston Mizell is a writer with Fox News Digital covering breaking news. Story tips can be sent to Preston.Mizell@fox.com and on X @MizellPreston
white house,donald trump,government shutdown,democrats senate,chuck schumer
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