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On Monday, President Donald Trump expressed his desire to keep the Senate-passed bill aimed at ending the partial government shutdown unchanged. His comments were intended to encourage swift action from Congress to resolve the ongoing impasse.
Trump announced on Truth Social on Monday afternoon that he does not want to see amendments to the bill, as Democrats plan not to vote for it over short-term Department of Homeland Security funding, and some conservative Republicans have sought election-integrity add-ons.
Later in the day, during a ceremony held in the Oval Office for the launch of Project Vault—a $12 billion initiative to build a critical-mineral stockpile—Trump addressed the status of the negotiations. When asked by a reporter about the progress, he referenced discussions with key congressional leaders, saying, “I spoke with Speaker Johnson and Leader Thune, and I think they’re pretty close to a resolution.”
The president highlighted the economic impact of the shutdown, noting, “We were at 5.6 percent GDP, and we lost a point and a half because of the 42-day shutdown. Think of that: we would have been at seven. Nobody ever saw a number like seven.” His remarks underscored the urgency he feels in resolving the stalemate, emphasizing the broader economic implications at play.
Hours later, in the Oval Office during a signing ceremony to launch Project Vault, a $12 billion critical-mineral stockpile, the president said he believes Congress is “pretty close to a resolution” and a reporter asked where things stand.
“Well, I spoke with Speaker Johnson, I spoke with Leader Thune, and I think they’re pretty close to a resolution,” he said.
“You know, we were at 5.6 percent GDP, and we lost a point and a half because of the 42-day shutdown. Think of that: we would have been at seven. Nobody ever saw a number like seven,” he added.
National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said during the Democrat shutdown in November that it was costing the United States 15 billion each week, which would knock 1-1.5 percentage points off fourth-quarter gross domestic product.
“But despite that, we have the highest numbers we’ve ever had,” Trump added Monday. “We’re doing well, we’re going right through it, but I will say that I spoke with Senator Schumer numerous times, and I don’t think they want to see a shutdown either.”