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By Dan Gooding and Hannah Parry
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Vice President JD Vance has slammed Senate Democrats for voting to block a Republican-backed stopgap funding bill aimed at keeping the government open through November 21.
Vance claimed that the "Chuck Schumer-AOC wing" of the Democrats was taking critical services "hostage" unless the Trump administration agreed to everything they wanted.
However, Vance said he did not believe the shutdown would be lengthy, as he believed moderate Democrats were already "cracking."
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The Republican bill failed to advance on Wednesday morning in a 55-45 vote, falling short of the 60 votes required to move forward. The rejection marks another setback in negotiations as the shutdown continues.
Why It Matters
The two political parties' standoff resulted in a federal government shutdown at midnight on Wednesday morning, with both sides claiming the other was responsible for the shutdown of departments and agencies until funding could be agreed upon. Vance's appearance at a White House briefing was unusual, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt handing over to him to deliver remarks on behalf of the President.
What To Know
Vance again repeated the claim that Democrats had caused the shutdown because they wanted to maintain funding for health care for illegal immigrants, something Democrats deny. The vice president said the proposition by the Democrats was "ridiculous."
"It's one thing to say that we should solve the health care crisis for Americans. It's another thing to say that we're going to shut down the government unless we give the Democrats every single thing that they want, which, as Karoline says, includes giving billions of dollars of taxpayer funding for health care for illegal migrants," Vance said.
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Democrats have insisted they want to extend health care subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and protect Medicare and Medicaid for those legally in the U.S., as well as American citizens, whose coverage could lapse under President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law in July.
Immigrants without legal status are not eligible for these programs, and the legislation the GOP has referred to in order to make its point actually uses the word "aliens" when referring to legally present immigrants, such as those with green cards or other long-term visas.
Vance took swipes at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries for not meeting Trump in the middle to ensure the government stayed open.
Vance Addresses Jeffries 'Racism' Claims Over Sombrero Memes
Vance also played down Trump posting a fake video on social media of Jeffries in a sombrero, saying it was possible to negotiate in good faith even while trolling the other side.
“The president’s joking and we’re having a good time,” Vance said at the White House news briefing.
Vance said it’s possible to “have some fun at the absurdity of the Democrats” and questioned Jeffries's calling the post of him in a sombrero as racist.
“I’ll tell Hakeem Jeffries right now, I make this solemn promise to you that if you help us reopen the government, the sombrero memes will stop,” Vance said.
The New York representative responded to the video on Tuesday, saying, “Bigotry will get you nowhere. Cancel the Cuts. Lower the Cost. Save Healthcare. We are NOT backing down.”
In a separate post, he shared a photo of Trump and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. "This is real," he wrote.
Did the Senate Vote on the Government Shutdown Today?
While the House of Representatives is not in session, the Senate has convened to try to end the shutdown.
Senate Democrats voted to block a Republican-backed stopgap funding bill aimed at keeping the government open through November 21. The measure failed to advance in a 55–45 vote, falling short of the 60 votes required to move forward.
What Is a Budget Resolution?
A budget resolution is essentially an agreement between the House and the Senate to keep government departments funded and spending flowing for a specified period. The agreement does not require the president's approval.
How Long Could the Government Shutdown Last?
Vance said on Wednesday that he was hopeful the shutdown would not last long, but this depends on how quickly Congress can agree on a plan.
Federal department websites adopted divergent and, at times, partisan strategies in public messaging regarding the shutdown.
“The Radical Left in Congress shut down the government. HUD will use available resources to help Americans in need,” reads a message greeting visitors to the official website of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
“Due to the Radical Left Democrat shutdown, this government website will not be updated during the funding lapse. President Trump has made it clear he wants to keep the government open and support those who feed, fuel, and clothe the American people,” reads another message on the Agriculture Department’s official website.
“Democrats have shut down the government,” reads a pop-up message at the top of the Justice Department’s website.
Websites for the Commerce, State and Transportation Departments included notices that webpages may experience delayed updates due to “a lapse in appropriations,” but did not include references ascribing partisan blame.
Agencies, including the Treasury and Health and Human Services Departments, did not immediately display any references to the shutdown.
As of Wednesday afternoon, an end to the shutdown did not appear to be in sight, with multiple agencies shutting down nonessential services until further notice.
This story includes reporting by the Associated Press.
Update 10/1/25, 2:53 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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