Overview
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent rejected questions about when President Trump will meet Democrats, saying Democrats should provide the Senate votes to reopen the government.
- Bessent cited internal tallies claiming 52 Republican senators have voted 11 times to advance reopening measures while only three Democrats have supported them.
- The shutdown stretched into its 27th day on Monday with no new votes reported and continued partisan deadlock over a short-term funding bill.
- Coverage notes Republicans advanced a short-term measure and reports that Democratic leaders are seeking action on expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies before backing a stopgap.
- Conservative outlets amplified Bessent’s interviews and criticized mainstream hosts for assigning blame to the president, framing the impasse as a failure by Senate Democrats.