Sen. Bernie Sanders Blames Trump for Government Shutdown

On Thursday, independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders appeared on MSNBC, accusing President Donald Trump of orchestrating the ongoing government shutdown to advance his own agenda.

The government shutdown occurred late Wednesday when the Senate fell short of the 60 votes necessary to move forward with the House-passed funding bill, resulting in a 55-45 vote. During an interview on “All with Chris Hayes,” Sanders criticized Trump for his role in the stalemate, describing him as someone seeking personal power and surrounded by what he called “friends of Oligarchy.”

“We have a president acting in an unprecedented manner,” Sanders remarked. “He’s a large figure who craves more power for himself and his oligarch friends. I want everyone to recognize that for many of us in Congress, a vital aspect of this shutdown is the Senate rules.”

Sanders accused Republicans of ignoring decades of Senate traditions by refusing to negotiate on government funding.

“Republicans need to secure 60 votes. That has been the standard for quite some time. This rule is meant to encourage bipartisan negotiations,” he noted. “But for the first time in modern history, we’re not engaging in negotiations.”

He emphasized that the shutdown was more than just a political struggle.

“It’s important to realize that if we don’t push back, 15 million Americans might lose their health insurance because of cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. Research indicates that 50,000 Americans die annually due to lack of healthcare,” Sanders added.

Democrats have tied their support for funding to the extension of Obamacare subsidies, accusing Republicans of attempting to undermine healthcare access for working Americans. Democratic leaders dismissed a short-term funding proposal that did not include extensions, while Republicans countered with their own plans, claiming that Democrats were using the shutdown for political gain.

Trump met with Congressional leaders on Monday but left without reaching an agreement. Democrats pushed for healthcare concessions, whereas Republicans insisted on a straightforward funding expansion. Earlier, Trump had canceled a planned meeting with Democratic leaders, labeling their demands as “unsafe and ridiculous.”