WASHINGTON—Vice President JD Vance said on Oct. 1 that he expects the government shutdown to be short-lived.
He said moderate Democrats appear to be breaking ranks and recognizing the drawbacks of prolonging the standoff.
“I actually don’t think it’s going to be that long of a shutdown,” Vance said during a press briefing at the White House.
“I think you already saw some evidence that moderate Democrats are cracking a little bit. They understand the fundamental illogic of this,” he added.
The last shutdown, which began in December 2018 during Trump’s first term, lasted 35 days, becoming the longest in U.S. history.
Vance said that while some Democrats are trying to work in good faith, the others have many demands and refuse to compromise.
The federal government shut down at midnight on Sept. 30 after the Senate failed to pass a Republican plan to fund operations through Nov. 21. Democrats opposed the bill, demanding the inclusion of health care measures, such as an extension of Obamacare subsidies that are due to expire at the end of the year.
Hours later, the Senate again blocked a pair of rival stopgap bills, deepening a partisan standoff that shows no sign of easing.
“Three moderate Democrats joined 52 Republicans last night. We need five more in order to reopen the government, and that’s really where we’re going to focus, is how to get those five additional Democrats,” Vance said.
On Sept. 30, two Democrats, Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.) and John Fetterman (Pa.), and Angus King (I-Maine), who caucuses with the Democrats, joined Republicans in voting in favor of the GOP bill. But support did not reach the necessary 60 votes to advance past a filibuster. The three lawmakers again supported the GOP bill on Oct. 1.
Vance, however, also warned of the possibility of a prolonged shutdown.
“If this thing drags on for another few days, or, God forbid, another few weeks, we are going to have to lay people off,” Vance said.
“We’re going to have to save money in some places so the essential services don’t get turned off in other places.”
During the press briefing, Vance was also pressed about the president’s posting of AI-generated videos featuring top Democratic leaders—Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.). The video showed Jeffries wearing a sombrero, which multiple Democrats condemned as “racist.”
“I think it’s funny. The president’s joking, and we’re having a good time,” Vance responded.
“I'll tell Hakeem Jeffries right now, I make this solemn promise to you that if you help us reopen the government, the Sombrero memes will stop,” he quipped. “And I talked to the president of the United States about that.”
