US President Donald Trump says Democrats must end the shutdown before talks can start after six days of gridlock.
Published On 7 Oct 2025
United States President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that he was ready to negotiate with Democrats over healthcare subsidies to break a deadlock over the continuing government shutdown, before walking back on that offer.
Trump put the blame for the shutdown, now entering its seventh day, on Democrats in a post on social media, where he said they must end the shutdown before substantive negotiations can begin over healthcare policy – the key issue underlying the shutdown.
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“I am happy to work with the Democrats on their Failed Healthcare Policies, or anything else, but first they must allow our Government to reopen. In fact, they should open our Government tonight!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Monday evening.
Just hours earlier at the Oval Office, Trump told reporters he would like to “see a deal made for great healthcare”, according to CBS News.
“We have a negotiation going on right now with the Democrats that could lead to very good things, and I’m talking about good things with regard to healthcare,” Trump was quoted as saying.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, one of the Democratic Party’s highest-ranking members, quickly denied that Democrats were in talks with Trump.
“This isn’t true,” Schumer said in a statement shared on X.
“If Republicans are fina