Trump’s Budget Cuts Stall Spending Talks, Raising Shutdown Fears/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Congress is facing a budget deadlock as Trump’s aggressive spending cuts stall negotiations, raising the risk of a government shutdown after March 14. Republicans blame Democrats for walking away from talks, while Democrats accuse Trump and GOP leaders of undermining previous agreements. With Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) restructuring federal agencies, tensions over funding levels are at an all-time high.
Trump’s Budget Cuts Stall Spending Talks, Raising Shutdown Fears – Quick Look
- March 14 Deadline: Without an agreement, a partial government shutdown looms.
- Republicans vs. Democrats: GOP leaders accuse Democrats of delaying talks; Democrats say GOP is ignoring previous agreements.
- Trump’s Influence: The president rejects past spending deals, pushing for massive government cuts.
- Elon Musk’s DOGE Factor: Democrats fear Trump and Musk’s team are dismantling agencies before a budget deal is in place.
- Possible Solutions: A temporary funding measure (CR) could prevent a shutdown if no long-term deal is reached.
Trump’s Budget Cuts Stall Spending Talks, Raising Shutdown Fears – Deep Look
Spending Talks in Chaos as Shutdown Deadline Approaches
With just five weeks until the government faces a partial shutdown, budget negotiations in Congress have stalled. The deadlock stems from Trump’s aggressive spending cut proposals, which have upended previous bipartisan agreements and raised tensions between Republicans and Democrats.
The current stopgap measure expires on March 14, and without a deal, the government could enter another costly and disruptive shutdown.
Republicans: Democrats Are Delaying Negotiations
Republicans claim Democrats have abandoned talks, making it impossible to finalize spending bills.
“Obviously, the Democrats are not in a good place right now, so they walked away from talks. But it’ll have to resume,” said House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.).
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) echoed this frustration, accusing Democrats of “trying to set up some sort of government shutdown.”
However, Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, disagreed, saying Democrats are still involved but negotiations are slow.
“We’re not making the progress I would hope,” Cole admitted.
Democrats: GOP Is Ignoring Past Agreements
“The Democrats have made their offer. We have not walked away from the table,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) added:
“DeLauro has been trying to get Republicans to respond to her for weeks.”
Democrats insist that a 1% increase in defense and non-defense spending, agreed upon last year under former Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Biden, should still stand. However, Trump’s team has rejected this deal, arguing that the White House and Congress are now under new leadership.
“The president doesn’t feel bound by an agreement made by another president that didn’t go down on his watch,” Cole said.
Trump and Musk’s Budget Overhaul Sparks Tensions
Beyond the typical funding disputes, Democrats are alarmed by Trump’s restructuring of federal agencies—including the involvement of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in government operations.
Since returning to the White House, Trump has:
- Pushed government workers to resign or face reassignment.
- Dismantled entire agencies to cut spending.
- Allowed DOGE access to Treasury Department records, sparking legal challenges.
“The level of trust is at the lowest I have ever seen in Congress,” said Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Democrats worry that Trump’s drastic changes will affect essential government services, making it harder to reach a spending agreement.
“We need assurances that any deal we reach will actually be followed,” DeLauro said.
What’s Next? A Shutdown or a Short-Term Fix?
If lawmakers fail to reach an agreement, Congress may pass a temporary funding measure (continuing resolution or CR) to keep the government running at current levels.
“I don’t want a CR,” Cole admitted. “But I certainly prefer a CR to a shutdown.”
While temporary funding could delay a shutdown, it won’t solve the larger issue: Trump’s push to slash government spending versus Democratic resistance to agency cuts.
With both sides dug in and tensions high, the next few weeks will determine whether Washington faces another government shutdown—or if a last-minute deal can keep the government running.
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