WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump isn’t curtailing travel. He’s not avoiding golf or making do with a skeleton staff in the West Wing. Even hamburgers served at the White House aren’t from McDonald's this time.
In shutdowns past — including during Trump’s first term — presidents normally scaled back their schedules. With staffers deemed “non-essential” sent home, the White House often sought to appear sympathetic to Americans affected by disruptions to health care, veterans benefits, and other key services.
The current shutdown has left around 750,000 federal employees furloughed, and others working without pay. Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, is lapsing after Friday — affecting 1 in 8 Americans who rely on it to help buy groceries.
Nonetheless, it’s been mostly business as usual for Trump over the past 29 days. “It’s like that country song: ‘Sometimes falling feels like flying for a little while,’” said Paul Begala, a Democratic strategist and former adviser to President Bill Clinton.
Trump is on a six-day swing through Asia, after a recent whirlwind Middle East visit to celebrate a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal in Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza. He hosted a White House fundraiser for major donors to his $300 million ballroom, which has seen construction crews tear down the East Wing, and held another fundraiser at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
Members of the Cabinet have similarly hit the road. Vice President JD Vance traveled to Israel, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem went to Portland, Oregon, to decry protests there, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth got a firsthand look at TOPGUN, the U.S. Navy’s elite fighter weapons school in Nevada.
Only 32% of the staff in the Executive Office of the President were set to be furloughed during the current shutdown. That’s down from 61% during the last shutdown in 2018-19. Last time, more than 70% of staff were furloughed.
It’s often been hard to tell a shutdown is happening with so many staffers remaining at their desks. “I don’t even know if they’re supposed to be working, but they wouldn’t miss a day,” Trump said.
Barreling ahead like there’s no shutdown has some political advantages for Trump, allies say. It allows him to look presidential while avoiding congressional bickering. “It’s a much smarter approach,” said Marc Short, chief of staff to former Vice President Mike Pence.
During the 16-day government shutdown of 2013, President Barack Obama scrapped a four-country Asia trip to show the impacts of the shutdown. In 2019, Trump’s officials acknowledged feeling pressure to end it, worried that Trump’s polling numbers could suffer. This time, the administration’s public messaging has been to blame the Democrats.
Bill Daley, a White House chief of staff to Obama, noted Trump isn’t acting like he’s feeling political heat. “My guess is, he thinks it helps him, until — and I don’t know if it will — the bottom falls out.”
Democrats demand extensions of expiring tax credits while Republicans refuse to negotiate until the government is reopened. Public sentiment regarding blame for the shutdown is divided, yet Trump maintains a firm stance on his priorities and strategies through the current political dilemma.
In shutdowns past — including during Trump’s first term — presidents normally scaled back their schedules. With staffers deemed “non-essential” sent home, the White House often sought to appear sympathetic to Americans affected by disruptions to health care, veterans benefits, and other key services.
The current shutdown has left around 750,000 federal employees furloughed, and others working without pay. Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, is lapsing after Friday — affecting 1 in 8 Americans who rely on it to help buy groceries.
Nonetheless, it’s been mostly business as usual for Trump over the past 29 days. “It’s like that country song: ‘Sometimes falling feels like flying for a little while,’” said Paul Begala, a Democratic strategist and former adviser to President Bill Clinton.
Trump is on a six-day swing through Asia, after a recent whirlwind Middle East visit to celebrate a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal in Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza. He hosted a White House fundraiser for major donors to his $300 million ballroom, which has seen construction crews tear down the East Wing, and held another fundraiser at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
Members of the Cabinet have similarly hit the road. Vice President JD Vance traveled to Israel, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem went to Portland, Oregon, to decry protests there, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth got a firsthand look at TOPGUN, the U.S. Navy’s elite fighter weapons school in Nevada.
Only 32% of the staff in the Executive Office of the President were set to be furloughed during the current shutdown. That’s down from 61% during the last shutdown in 2018-19. Last time, more than 70% of staff were furloughed.
It’s often been hard to tell a shutdown is happening with so many staffers remaining at their desks. “I don’t even know if they’re supposed to be working, but they wouldn’t miss a day,” Trump said.
Barreling ahead like there’s no shutdown has some political advantages for Trump, allies say. It allows him to look presidential while avoiding congressional bickering. “It’s a much smarter approach,” said Marc Short, chief of staff to former Vice President Mike Pence.
During the 16-day government shutdown of 2013, President Barack Obama scrapped a four-country Asia trip to show the impacts of the shutdown. In 2019, Trump’s officials acknowledged feeling pressure to end it, worried that Trump’s polling numbers could suffer. This time, the administration’s public messaging has been to blame the Democrats.
Bill Daley, a White House chief of staff to Obama, noted Trump isn’t acting like he’s feeling political heat. “My guess is, he thinks it helps him, until — and I don’t know if it will — the bottom falls out.”
Democrats demand extensions of expiring tax credits while Republicans refuse to negotiate until the government is reopened. Public sentiment regarding blame for the shutdown is divided, yet Trump maintains a firm stance on his priorities and strategies through the current political dilemma.
