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Schumer blocks 12th GOP bid to reopen government as Trump says Democrats ‘lost the negotiation’

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The government shutdown meandered into its 22nd day with no end in sight after a 12th GOP attempt to reopen the government was stalled and then blocked by Senate Democrats on Wednesday evening.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and his caucus kneecapped Republicans’ bid to reopen the government for the 12th time. The latest failed vote comes as Schumer has demanded another meeting with President Donald Trump and on the heels of an almost 24-hour filibuster by Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore, that pushed the vote late into Wednesday.
During his marathon floor speech, which began at 6:23 pm on Tuesday, Merkley spoke on authoritarianism — what he called the Trump Administration’s overreach on immigration, separation of powers, and more.
«Republicans have shut down the government to continue the strategy of slashing Americans’ healthcare,» Merkley said, referring to the healthcare-centered debate holding up consideration of the government’s funding.
He concluded his remarks at 5:00 p.m. on Wed.
Little has changed in the upper chamber since the shutdown began. Schumer and the Senate Democratic caucus demand that there be a real, ironclad deal to extend expiring Obamacare subsidies, while Senate Republicans remain adamant that there is no path forward available on the matter until the government is reopened.
SCHUMER REQUESTS MEETING WITH TRUMP ‘ANY TIME, ANY PLACE’ AS DEMOCRAT STALEMATE DRAGS ON
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., steps away from reporters following a Democratic policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, Oct. 15, 2025. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
But what is old is new in a repeating cycle, and Schumer wants to meet with Trump again.
Schumer, speaking on behalf of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., requested another meeting with Trump ahead of the vote in a bid to go around Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and congressional Republicans to secure a deal.
There have been informal talks — more casual conversation than true negotiation — between Republicans and Democrats, but nothing has materialized that puts lawmakers any closer to solving the ongoing stalemate.
«Hakeem and I reached out to the president today and urged him to sit down and negotiate with us to resolve the healthcare crisis, address it and end the Trump shutdown,» Schumer said. «He should sit — the things get worse every day for the American people. He should sit down with us, negotiate in a serious way before he goes away.»
The last time the top congressional Democrats met with Trump came just a day before the climactic vote to avert a shutdown. Neither side walked away with a compromise, or agreement, to keep the lights on.
SENATE DEMS EMBOLDENED BY WEEKEND RALLIES BLOCK GOP PLAN TO END SHUTDOWN FOR 11TH TIME

President Donald Trump listens as Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., speaks during a lunch with Republican senators on the Rose Garden patio at the White House in Washington, Oct. 21, 2025. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP)
Fast-forward to the shutdown’s fourth week, and Trump signaled he’d speak with Schumer and Jeffries — only after the government is reopened.
«The government has to be open,» he said. «You know how long it will take for them to do that? Just say, ‘OK, government is open.’ That’s it. There is nothing — They’re not negotiating.»
«What they’re doing is saying they lost the negotiation,» Trump continued. «And when we got the great ‘big beautiful [bill]’ done, they lost the negotiation. Now they’re saying, ‘Well, we want to get some of the things we lost.’ But the problem is the things they lost are very bad for our country.»
Congressional Democrats’ initial demands, made in a counter-proposal to the House-passed continuing resolution (CR), called for a permanent extension to the enhanced Obamacare premium tax credits and guardrails on Trump’s ability to claw back congressionally approved funding, among other things.
SCHUMER’S SHUTDOWN SCHEME EXPLAINED: DEMS DOUBLE DOWN ON OBAMACARE CREDITS AS STANDOFF DRAGS ON

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., left, and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., pictured at the US Capitol in Washington. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
A White House official doubled down on Trump’s position and told Fox News Digital, «We will not have policy conversations while the Democrats are holding the American people hostage. Reopen the government.»
While Democrats desire more than just an extension to the COVID-19-era subsidy, they’ve made their primary argument all about the tax credits.
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Thune offered Senate Democrats a vote on the subsidies, but so far they have declined to take the leap and instead are holding out for a guaranteed outcome in the shutdown fight. However, that is unlikely to come as Republicans and the White House, so far, are equally dug in against Schumer’s demands.
«I think [Trump] wants the Democrats to take ‘yes’ for an answer,» Thune said. «We’ve offered them a lot of the things they were asking for — a normal appropriations process, an opportunity to get a vote on some of the things that they want to see voted on, with respect to the expiring Obamacare enhanced subsidies. But that can’t happen until we open up the government.»
senate,government shutdown,chuck schumer,donald trump,health care healthy living,politics
INTERNACIONAL
Trump DOJ opens mortgage fraud probe into Eric Swalwell as congressman vows to keep fighting back

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The Department of Justice under President Donald Trump has opened a probe into Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., over alleged mortgage fraud, Fox News has confirmed.
In response, Swalwell said he was not surprised to be targeted by Trump and vowed to keep speaking out while pursuing his lawsuit.
«As the most vocal critic of Donald Trump over the last decade and as the only person who still has a surviving lawsuit against him, the only thing I am surprised about is that it took him this long to come after me,» the California lawmaker said.
«Like James Comey and John Bolton, Adam Schiff and Lisa Cook, Letitia James and the dozens more to come – I refuse to live in fear in what was once the freest country in the world.
SWALWELL THREATENS ‘ACCOUNTABILITY’ TO PRIVATE ACTORS WHO DEAL WITH TRUMP, HOPE IT ‘DETERS PEOPLE’
Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., listens during a news conference on the introduction of their Protection from Abusive Passengers Act at the U.S. Capitol Building on April 6, 2022, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
«Of course, I will not end my lawsuit against him. And I will not stop speaking out against the President and speaking up for Californians,» he continued. «As Mark Twain said, ‘Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.’ Mr. President, do better. Be better.»
The probe, which was first reported by NBC, will investigate allegations of millions of dollars in loans and refinancing were based on Swalwell declaring that his primary residence was in Washington, D.C., a person familiar with the referral told the news organization.
According to the report, the director of the Federal Housing Agency, Bill Pulte, sent Attorney General Pam Bondi a letter on Wednesday accusing Swalwell of possibly making false or misleading statements on loan documents.
HOW JAMES COMEY’S INDICTMENT COULD GO SOUTH FOR THE DOJ
The source also reportedly told NBC the investigation is into possible mortgage fraud, tax fraud at the state and local level, insurance fraud and any related crimes.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of Justice for comment on the matter.
The news comes the same day that MSNBC reported that two sources confirmed Swalwell is looking at a run for governor in California.
The two sources reportedly told the news agency Swalwell has all but decided on the move, and one source even said the lawmaker could make an announcement as early as next week.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Swalwell’s office for confirmation on the matter.
MSNBC reported that Swalwell declined to comment on his gubernatorial ambitions.
SWALWELL, NEHLS CLASH AT CHILD MIGRANT HEARING OVER ALLEGED CHINESE SPY TIES: ‘YOU DON’T GET TO SAY THAT S—‘

Representative Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., was criminally referred to the DOJ for alleged mortgage fraud. (John Lamparski)
Swalwell has been one of Trump’s most outspoken critics, and last month he faced scrutiny over a «bizarre inconsistency» in his campaign’s Federal Election Commission filings that list several different reasons for payments to a Haitian American staffer totaling more than $360,000.
FEC filings from Swalwell for Congress and his Remedy PAC, dating back to 2021, show more than 75 payments to staffer Darly Meyer, ranging from $53 to more than $12,000 for various reasons.
Meyer received 27 payments last year totaling more than $120,000 and is on pace to earn a similar amount in 2025. The filings list multiple explanations for the disbursements, including travel, car and security services, and salary, as well as reimbursements for personal travel expenses, event flowers, and postage.
Over the years, Swalwell’s campaign has reported numerous expenditures on luxury car services, expensive restaurants, and high-end hotels in international cities such as Dubai, Berlin, Paris and London.
Swalwell also claimed there was strong evidence of collusion between Russia and Trump, but those claims have since been contradicted.
Durham’s report, released in 2023, found intelligence agencies lacked «actual evidence of collusion» to justify launching the Trump-Russia probe. The findings echoed Robert Mueller’s 2019 report, which found no criminal conspiracy between Trump’s campaign and Russia.
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This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
eric swalwell,justice department,donald trump,investigations
INTERNACIONAL
Panorama Internacional: Chile, elecciones con sorpresa y las deudas pendientes del 2019
INTERNACIONAL
El acuerdo con EE.UU. selló el alineamiento de Milei con Trump, pero abrió interrogantes en el Mercosur

El acuerdo sobre comercio e inversiones anunciado entre Estados Unidos y la Argentina selló a fuego el total e inflexible alineamiento del gobierno de Javier Milei con Donald Trump, pero al mismo tiempo abrió una serie de interrogantes sobre cómo impactará este entendimiento en el futuro del Mercosur y la relación con Brasil.
No por nada el acuerdo se conoció en la misma semana que desde la Cancillería se anunció que Milei se ausentará de la futura cumbre del bloque prevista en diciembre en Foz de Iguazú, donde Lula da Silva entregará a Paraguay la presidencia pro-tempore del bloque.
Leé también: Punto por punto, todos los detalles del acuerdo comercial entre la Argentina y EE.UU.
El estatuto del pacto regional impide a los países miembro suscribir acuerdos comerciales en forma individual. Milei, como lo hizo el anterior gobierno de Uruguay de Luis Lacalle Pou, busca hacer más elásticas estas disposiciones y abrir el pacto.
“La Argentina no puede negociar bilateralmente ni hacer acuerdos por su cuenta. Pero esto es un acuerdo marco que el gobierno puede presentar como exploratorio”, dijo a TN el analista internacional Mauro Embe.
El Gobierno cuidó mucho las formas de este acuerdo. La Casa Blanca lo anunció a través de “una declaración conjunta sobre el marco para un acuerdo entre Estados Unidos y la Argentina sobre comercio e inversión recíprocos”. No se habló de un acuerdo comercial.
“Así puede manejar en cierta forma los tiempos”, indicó el analista.
¿Cómo reaccionarán los demás socios del Mercosur?
El gobierno tiene como gran aliado dentro del bloque al presidente paraguayo, Santiago Peña, con quien Milei tiene un aceitado vínculo por su estrecha afinidad ideológica. Ahora se suma Rodrigo Paz, flamante mandatario de Bolivia, el último país en incorporarse al bloque.
En la vereda de enfrente se encuentra en especial Luiz Lula da Silva, némesis de Milei en el Cono Sur, y el más pragmático mandatario progresista uruguayo, Yamandú Orsi. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva y Javier Milei se vieron en Buenos Aires en la última cumbre del MERCOSUR (Vía Reuters)
“Lo que ha hecho el gobierno argentino es medio border. Está en el límite dentro de lo legal (que marca el estatuto del Mercosur). Esto podría generar una queja interna ante este avance unilateral”, dijo Embe.
Para el analista, “este acuerdo marco podría transformarse en un tratado, aunque en ningún lado se habla de un pacto de libre comercio. Lleva a futuros acuerdos. Fueron muy cautos en el nombre en este acuerdo marco para favorecer inversiones”, afirmó.
Leé también: Ser obeso o tener un hijo con discapacidad podría ser un motivo de rechazo de la visa para ingresar a EE.UU.
Ahora se abre un período de negociaciones en el seno del bloque. Si bien aún no fue definida una fecha de la cumbre, se estima que podría celebrarse el 20 de diciembre con las notorias ausencias de Milei y de Peña.
Cómo impactará el acuerdo con EE.UU. en la relación con Brasil
En este nuevo escenario no cabe duda de que el anunciado acuerdo entre Argentina y EE.UU. impactará de manera negativa en el difícil vínculo entre Buenos Aires y Brasilia.
“El primer impacto inmediato es el debilitamiento del Mercosur. Los acuerdos puntuales de país a país debilitan al bloque. Pero además, en función del conflicto que enfrenta a Brasil con EE.UU. en materia arancelaria, esto desgasta aún más la relación entre Milei y Lula que ya no era buena pero permanecía” sin cambios en el terreno comercial, dijo a TN el analista brasileño Marco Teixeira, de la Fundación Getúlio Vargas, de Río de Janeiro.
Leé también: Uruguay sufre una epidemia de homicidios: crece la inseguridad vinculada al narcotráfico
El acuerdo se sumará así a la anunciada ausencia de Milei de la cumbre del Mercosur en la que Brasil deberá traspasar la presidencia pro-témpore a Paraguay y donde espera anunciar el postergado tratado comercial con la Unión Europea (UE).
¿Qué pasará ahora con el Mercosur?
Milei cumplió el mandato de alinear a su gobierno detrás de la Casa Blanca en absolutamente todos los aspectos.
“Este es un punto más en el alineamiento total con EE.UU. Por supuesto esto tiene un precio. Más allá de la afinidad ideológica, Milei reduce la maniobrabilidad en ciertos sectores. Cuando un país se alinea tanto con una gran potencia cualquier margen de maniobra o pragmatismo se agota o se reduce”, dijo Embe.
En este contexto, el Mercosur está llamado a sufrir en los próximos 30 días fuertes turbulencias.
El analista internacional Juan Negri dijo a TN que la firma de este entendimiento con Washington “es una prueba más del estancamiento del bloque regional, de la incapacidad de adaptarse a nuevas realidades y de las visiones distintas que imperan en el interior del bloque”.
“El Mercosur se encuentra en una encrucijada. Tiene una estructura que le hace muy difícil reformarse porque tienen que estar todos los socios de acuerdo. Es un bloque agujereado que entra en tensión cada vez que en la Argentina y Brasil asumen gobiernos de derecha”, afirmó.
EE.UU, comercio
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