The previous shutdown occurred during Donald Trump’s first term and lasted 35 days (from December 2018 to January 2019) and in this one the leaders of both parties blame it on each other.

Democrats insist on renewing subsidies to cover health insurance costs for millions of households; for his part, Trump wants to preserve existing spending levels and has already threatened massive layoffs of federal workers if the government remains in pause.

Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic minority leader in the House of Representatives, said that since last Monday, since their meeting at the White House, there have been no talks with Republicans. “And unfortunately, since that time, the Republicans, including Donald Trump, have been silent,” he said.

Meanwhile, Trump noted in a text message, “We are winning and cutting costs in a big way,” but did not offer details.

On Friday, a Senate vote to move forward with a Republican bill that would reopen the government failed to muster the 60 votes needed to end an issue

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