Donald Trump hosted a breakfast meeting with Senate Republicans this morning after the Blue Wave crashed down on his ugly face last night. Democrats scored huge wins across state and local elections around the country. Virginia elected our first-ever female governor and first-in-the-nation Muslim woman to hold state office. Virginians even elected Jay Jones, who was mired in a “scandal” in which he texted that Republicans should just f–king die. I’m so focused on Virginia because there were so many factors here: Northern Virginia is the DC Beltway, with tons of federal workers who have been furloughed because of the government shutdown, or seen DOGE slash their jobs or their departments. Well, as you can imagine, Trump has not taken any of the election results well. Last night, he ranted about “voter reform” and banning mail-in ballots. He also wants to terminate the Senate filibuster. That was a subject he brought up again this morning:
President Donald Trump on Wednesday said the government shutdown played a “big role” in Democrats’ victories Tuesday night and urged Republicans to kill the Senate filibuster to quickly restore federal funding.
“If you read the pollsters, the shutdown was a big factor, negative for the Republicans,” Trump said during a breakfast with Senate Republicans at the White House. “Last night, it was not expected to be a victory, it was very Democrat areas. I don’t think it was good for Republicans. I don’t think it was good for anybody. We had an interesting evening and learned a lot.”
He cited outside pollsters who have attributed the GOP losses to the fact that Trump wasn’t on the ballot, depressing turnout among the MAGA base. “I don’t know about that but I was honored that they said that,” he added.
Trump used his candid autopsy of the election results to urge Republicans to kill the Senate filibuster to quickly reopen the government and then enact their agenda, including a national voter ID requirement. He acknowledged that it’s an unlikely proposition as most Senate Republicans oppose the move but warned that he believes Democrats will do so the next time they’re in power.
“It’s possible you’re not going to do that, and I’m going to go by your wishes,” he said. “You’re very smart people. But I think it’s a tremendous mistake. It would be a tragic mistake, actually.”
On Wednesday, the shutdown stretched into its longest in U.S. history, with the previous 35-day shutdown set during Trump’s first term in 2019. Republican and Democratic lawmakers are locked in a stalemate.
“If you read the pollsters, the shutdown was a big factor, negative for the Republicans…” I can’t believe Trump is giving the Beltway media a permission structure to talk about how people blame Republicans for the shutdown! The media has worked hand-in-hand with MAGA Republicans to blame the shutdown on “evil Democrats,” but it turns out that voters cut through that noise and placed the blame squarely where it belongs: the Republican Party. The lesson is not “we must stop people from voting and end the filibuster.” The lesson is: if Republicans continue to do sh-tty things, voters will continue to punish them. The whole reason the shutdown is happening is because Trump and MAGA Republicans want to take away people’s healthcare. It really is that f–king simple.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
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- President Donald Trump speaks with reporters as he prepares to board Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House. The President is embarking on a three nation trip to Asia, where he hopes to sign economic and mineral agreements with US trading partners and meet President Xi Jinping of China. Featuring: President Donald Trump Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 24 Oct 2025 Credit: Francis Chung/POOL via CNP/INSTARimages.com
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- President Donald Trump speaks with reporters as he prepares to board Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House. The President is embarking on a three nation trip to Asia, where he hopes to sign economic and mineral agreements with US trading partners and meet President Xi Jinping of China. Featuring: President Donald Trump Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 24 Oct 2025 Credit: Francis Chung/POOL via CNP/INSTARimages.com
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- US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump host a Halloween trick-or-treat event on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, on Thursday, October 30, 2025. Featuring: Donald J. Trump Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 30 Oct 2025 Credit: Aaron Schwartz/POOL via CNP/INSTARimages.com
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- US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump host a Halloween trick-or-treat event on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, on Thursday, October 30, 2025. Featuring: Donald J. Trump, Melania Trump Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 30 Oct 2025 Credit: Aaron Schwartz/POOL via CNP/INSTARimages.com
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- US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump host a Halloween trick-or-treat event on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, on Thursday, October 30, 2025. Featuring: Donald J. Trump Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 30 Oct 2025 Credit: Aaron Schwartz/POOL via CNP/INSTARimages.com
The whole reason for the shut down is to stop the Epstein files coming to the light. It’s a bonus in their eyes that healthcare and food are being taken away. RELEASE THE EPSTEIN FILES!!!!
The reason for the shutdown is the agencies and committees that would have stopped the destruction of the East Wing are furloughed. Since tearing down the East Wing would never have been approved, Trump is using the shutdown to act with impunity. And this isn’t about building a ballroom, it’s about building a massive underground bunker.
No it’s the Epstein files. trump would have taken the east wing down no matter if they were there or not. It’s what dictators do.
The Epstein files were a misdirection from the destruction of the East Wing. Learn how to play their game.
No Mac it’s the Epstein files. The distraction was the east wing being demolished. I know how the game works and the distractions have all been for people to forget the Epstein files.
Porque no dos?
Really, this shutdown serves so many purposes for the Republicans. They either thought it wouldn’t affect future elections, or they considered the effects an acceptable loss.
trump just fired the entire board that should be reviewing his reno plans. The shutdown’s got nothing to do with it.
Republicans knew they weren’t going to win in VA or NJ so they didn’t get involved in those races to avoid humiliating Trump. They desperately tried to use the courts to stop Prop 50 and were unsuccessful. Trump belatedly endorsed Cuomo in the NYC race for mayor because the Republican stood no stood no chance and he wanted the mayor in his pocket. He couldn’t buy Mamdani so Cuomo was the only choice.
@Beanie Baby, he fired the board during the shutdown.
Yep, remember Mike Johnson refuses to swear-in that politician from Arizona because she’d be the deciding signature to release the files.
Honestly, I’m coming around to the idea that the Epstein files is merely a plausible excuse to hide the real reason the House shut down. Maybe it is bigger than the Epstein files. Maybe this isn’t a normal shutdown over budget differences. Maybe Trump and Project 2025 want Congress to adjourn – AND NEVER COME BACK.
They tried moving their agenda forward and gutting the federal agencies every other way – DOGE, layoffs, cutting funding, etc. etc. Every effort has been a limited success. Lawsuits stopped them, public outcry slowed them down, whistleblowers inside the government exposed their lunacy. What if the shutdown is the only move they could make toward Project 2025 that had no established way to counter it?
At first I applauded the Democrats for standing up and defending the ACA – it is the only reason I have healthcare, and I’m facing the potential loss of it now. But part of me does wonder if in trying to save one piece of our system we aren’t handing Project 2025 the exact tool they need to ruin it all.
@Dara -I saw a historian’s video yesterday where she said that the shutdown IS the coup. You have a valid and scary point.
I’m not sure why Congressional Republicans want this. What are they getting in return? Consolidated power in the executive branch means they lose their jobs and their power.
Maybe Felon47 should blame the Bluenami on his maladministration, his corrupt family&friends, the ministers who have no expertise — for starters.
Republicans have been very slow in learning that when you enable a tyrant, the tyrant will always blame the enablers for the tyranny.
#Bluenami 😍
“The lesson is: if Republicans continue to do sh-tty things, voters will continue to punish them“ That’s what I thought during the last presidential election but alas. I am hopeful this is a turning point for a lot of people though.
Those of us who think, not without reason, that the Republican Party cheated in the last election (and all the ones since 2000, really), think voters chose otherwise in 2024.
But the media being 100% in thrall to the GOP is a huge reason why we are where we are.
🎯
Trump didn’t win by much. He is not invincible. Democrats won’t stay home next time. And Latinos have good reason to hate his guts.
Healthcare and food costs skyrocketing. People losing jobs. People losing a place to live. People losing safety nets. Tourism tanking along with the reputation of the US. White nationalists given federal good squad jobs violating the rights of everyone they come across. People dying/being murdered because of said good squad’s actions + lies spread about vaccines + loss of basic healthcare rights for women + loss of funding for science and soft diplomacy. Art and history being destroyed and censored. Natural resources being destroyed. Public education being eviscerated.
Billionaires laughing, revelling in lies, partying, collecting more money and building monuments to themselves.
Keep willfully misunderstanding the issues at hand, asshole. Keep underestimating the public’s anger. That’s always worked out so well for autocrats.
And that fucking slob is having Gatsby themed parties, demolishing the people’s house to make a ballroom for himself and he thinks the shutdown is the problem? Keep lying to yourself Donald.
I’m glad that the Dems are holding the DAMN line regarding the ACA subsidies.
People are rightfully upset about what’s happening and he’s mad because the general public saw through it. I have never seen a president care this much about the other party winning seats.
I’m so glad McRib is too thick to get it. He will keep getting punished at the polls. I bet he is going to do everything he can to stop the midterms from taking place. I wonder what the timeline is to roll out Vance and Grieving Leather Pants to the fascist, nazi base. Cause something tells me the situation room at the Heritage Foundation is BUSY this morning realizing their useful idiot is increasingly becoming a liability. Run Usha and take the kids.
McRib’s hubris is off the charts! He really thought he could tear down part of the WH, waste hundreds of millions to build some gaudy ballroom while cutting off people’s food and taking away their jobs, all the while deporting the labour force which affects the supply chain, etc. and have a party for his billionaire friends the night before they cut off SNAP would be ok with people!
Over in Canada we are celebrating as a huge monkey wrench got thrown in his plans to annex us or start a war here last night. Looks like you have other fish to fry loser!
I’ve been listening to Lilly Allen’s F** You since yesterday – I know she wrote it for President Bush but I feel like it’s fitting for him as well.
Republicans have control of all 3 houses. The shutdown cannot be placed at the Democrat’s door. It’s really that simple. All while he builds a ballroom and parties Great Gatsby style in maralago. Please, gtfoh. There’s a cockiness that the media will cover for him, and he’s right; they will! But you can only go so far with that before it becomes plain to see what’s happening. They’re flying too close to the sun. To which I say, good, keep it up and make it obvious.
Ugh this toad. Only one question, why hasn’t he met his maker yet? Party at my house
He’s ALWAYS on the ballot.
Yeah, end the filibuster, then end the shutdown, and then end the Affordable Care Act. That’ll show ’em. A year ago was the “eff around” part. Now we’re at the “finding out” part where folks are fed up.
Johnson is up for re election next year. The Blue Tsunami should have every GOP elected official concern. As Speaker of the US House of Representatives (and 2nd in the line of succession to the US presidency) he is not ordering the House to come back to vote to reopen the government. People are losing public assistance like food and government workers are furloughed. Trump is defying a federal court order to fund SNAP, the food assistance program; he won’t do it under the government reopens. That’s on Johnson amd it’s a primary and/or general election talking point for an opponent.
Maybe, just maybe, if people don’t know how they’re going to feed their children, they’re going to panic and vote the other way.
I was of the persuasion that the MAGA cult followers were so far gone, they didn’t even care if their children starved. Yesterday proved me wrong.
One of the suburbs near me which is very MAGA (some of the J6 terrorists are from there) voted Democrat in their local election.
I’m in CA where we had only one thing on the ballot: a measure which in essence insured that Dems would gain 5 seats in the House. It was created as a reaction to the gerrymandering in Texas. In the abstract I may have voted no on the measure (it’s kinda, sorta gerrymandering as well) but because of Trump’s actions I didn’t think twice about voting yes. No doubt my reaction was not unique.
I’ll be honest that it’s making me somewhat concerned that they’re talking about ending the filibuster. Previously, they didn’t want to because they knew retaliation was inevitable, but this makes me wonder if they’re feeling secure that election rigging is well underway. It’s obvious with the Dominion purchase exactly where they’re going with this long term: there are no intentions to give up power now that they’ve consolidated it.
It’s almost like if you shut down the people’s government, they will punish you for it.
I’ll be thrilled to have the Republicans kick the last legs out from under minoritarian rule in the Senate. #KillTheFilibuster.
Wondering how Debra Messing is doing, today.
The longer Congress is in “recess” and the country is at a standstill, the more material from the Epstein files can be destroyed. How many of the government’s cold-shouldered employees were offered to help destroy the material? 10? 1,000?
Quite a few of the “ corporate contributors “ to the East Wing appear to be about to lay off thousands of workers. Maybe people are getting the message.