In a recent interview, White House economic advisor Kevin Hassett said that the Democrat-led government shutdown could end this week. His assessment was far more optimistic than others, who have predicted this thing could drag on into November.
Republicans want to pass a short-term resolution to resume funding at current levels. Democrats demand that any stopgap bill includes funding health care for illegal aliens and resuming funding for the liberal biased National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service.
Robert Knight is a columnist for the Washington Times.
"If I were a Republican strategist, I wouldn't give an inch right now because it might appear that those 'No Kings' rallies around the country, with all their obscene signs and everything else, had this huge effect on policy. I would let it simmer for a while, and right now the Democrats are being blamed for it, rightly, because Republicans have passed a bill to keep the government going several times. "
House Republicans, with the support of the Trump administration, pushed through a major funding-cut/“rescissions” measure in June 2025 that included eliminating about $1.1 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting -- effectively ending federal subsidies for NPR, PBS, and many local public radio/TV stations over the next two fiscal years.
Trump signed the bill on July 24.
Knight says pressure to end the government shutdown is clearly building on both parties.
"On Congress to cut deals because states are saying the food stamps are going to run out in November and some corporations have laid off federal contractors. So it's becoming a more and more dicey game for both parties. It'll be very interesting to see who blinks first."
