WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump turned up the heat on Democrats Thursday, quipping that Hamas is “easier to negotiate with” than congressional leaders amid a grinding government shutdown now in its 10th day. The barb, delivered during a Rose Garden address flanked by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, underscored Trump’s dual-track diplomacy: brokering a fragile Gaza ceasefire while stonewalling domestic talks over healthcare subsidies.
Fresh from Cairo, where indirect U.S.-brokered talks yielded Hamas’s tentative nod to Trump’s 20-point peace plan—including hostage releases and Gaza demilitarization—Trump contrasted the progress with Capitol Hill gridlock. “We got Hamas to the table in days—hostages coming home, bombs stopping. But Democrats? They’re holding 2.1 million federal workers hostage for Obamacare pork,” Trump thundered, drawing cheers from supporters. Netanyahu, in a rare White House visit, praised the “historic momentum,” crediting Trump’s pressure on both sides despite a recent Israeli strike wounding a Hamas negotiator.
The shutdown, triggered October 1 over expired Affordable Care Act tax credits, has furloughed workers, shuttered parks, and cost $1.5 billion daily, per Treasury estimates. Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, refuse short-term funding without subsidy extensions, warning of 15% premium hikes for millions. House Speaker Mike Johnson countered with a clean bill to November 21, but Trump vetoed concessions, vowing to use the impasse for “permanent cuts to waste.”
White House Deputy Chief Stephen Miller amplified the jab on Fox News: “Hamas knows when to fold; Democrats dig in like it’s a jihad.” Polls reflect the toll: A CBS survey shows 55% blame Republicans, eroding Trump’s post-election glow. Yet his Gaza gambit—building on Abraham Accords—bolsters his Nobel buzz, with nominations from Israel and Arab allies.
Democrats fired back: Schumer called it “dangerous deflection,” tying it to Trump’s National Guard threats in Portland and Chicago. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries warned of “authoritarian gamesmanship.” As Egypt hosts round two on Gaza, Capitol talks remain frozen. Trump’s taunt crystallizes the divide: Global peacemaker or domestic bulldozer? With midterms looming, the shutdown’s shadow grows—will Democrats blink, or will Trump’s hammer fall harder?
