Democrats suddenly embrace “extraordinary” tactics favored by GOP
Democrats are threatening to use tactics that the party had previously criticized the GOP for employing in order to oppose President Donald Trump‘s agenda.
Democratic senators have suggested they were willing to allow the government to shut down to protest Trump and billionaire mogul Elon Musk‘s actions. They have also attempted to hinder the confirmation of the president’s pick to lead the White House budget office with lengthy speeches on the Senate floor.
Newsweek has contacted the Democratic National Committee for comment via email.
Why It Matters
Experts have told Newsweek that the Democratic Party is willing to act in an “extraordinary manner” to combat Trump and his hard-line proposals during the Republican‘s second term.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (C), Democrat of New York, speaks about Elon Musk and DOGE accessing government agencies’ computers and data during a press conference at the Capitol in Washington, DC, February 3, 2025.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (C), Democrat of New York, speaks about Elon Musk and DOGE accessing government agencies’ computers and data during a press conference at the Capitol in Washington, DC, February 3, 2025.
SAUL LOEB / AFP/Getty Images
What to Know
Several Democratic senators have hinted the party is prepared to shut down the government in response to Trump and his new administration’s actions. This includes growing criticism over Musk, the head of the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency, seeking to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development and other agencies.
The current federal government funding expires on March 14, requiring Congress to approve new spending levels or extend current ones to avoid a shutdown. Due to the Republican Party‘s razor-thin majority in the House, the GOP may need Democratic support to pass legislation preventing a shutdown. In the Senate, where the GOP has a 53-47 majority, 60 votes are needed.
Democratic Senator Andy Kim of New Jersey told NBC‘s Meet the Press on Sunday that the U.S. is on the cusp of a “constitutional crisis” and that Democrats are not prepared to support a funding package the Trump administration would then use to “dismantle the government.”
Fellow New Jersey Senator Cory Booker echoed a similar sentiment, telling CNN on Sunday the country is in “crisis right now” and that Democrats will use “every tool possible” to protect Americans.
David B. Cohen, a professor of political science at the University of Akron in Ohio, told Newsweek that Democrats know the GOP needs their support to avoid a government shutdown, giving Democratic lawmakers’ threats “some leverage.”
In December 2024, Democrats condemned Trump and the GOP after it was unclear whether a proposed spending bill to avoid a shutdown would be approved by Republicans.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries had said Republicans were “ordered” to shut down the government by Trump, which would “hurt everyday Americans all across this country.” The House voted on the spending bill on December 20.
Democratic senators also staged a protest on the Senate floor on Wednesday, February 5, into Thursday against Russell T. Vought, Trump’s nominee to lead the White House budget office. Democrats gave lengthy speeches lasting 30 hours outlining why Vought is not suitable for the role in an attempt to hinder the confirmation process.
Democrats accused Vought of being behind Trump’s efforts to dismantle the federal government.
Vought was eventually confirmed by the Senate in a 53-47 vote along party lines.
The speeches were not a normal filibuster delay tactic, where a lawmaker speaks for an extended period to prevent or postpone legislative action. Senate rules were changed to prevent filibusters from blocking presidential nominees.
In January 2021, after Joe Biden took office, some Republican senators attempted to delay his Cabinet confirmations by slow-walking the process through procedural delays and objections rather than filibuster speeches.
At the time, Biden White House spokesman Andrew Bates criticized Republicans for “needlessly” obstructing the nomination process.
What People Are Saying
David B. Cohen, a professor of political science at the University of Akron, told Newsweek: “The Democratic Party seems to be waking up from the slumber it has been in since the 2024 election…Americans who did not vote for Donald Trump or Elon Musk or support their dismantling of the federal government have grown increasingly frustrated and panicked over the lackluster effort to oppose him. They want Democrats to do something—anything—to oppose the Trump agenda.
“…Republicans, given the razor-thin majority in the House, will likely need some Democratic votes to avoid a government shutdown, thus giving them some leverage. However, even if Democrats successfully extract some concessions from Republicans in the battle over the budget, March 14 is over a month away, and a great deal of damage—much of it irreversible—will occur between now and then.”
Bernard Tamas, associate professor of political science at Valdosta State University, told Newsweek: “The U.S. government is in extreme danger of democratic backsliding, and so the Democratic Party is finding it impossible to respond in a business-as-usual manner. The Democratic Party at this point appears to have little choice but to fight back in an extraordinary manner to these extraordinary circumstances. These could possibly include forcing a government shutdown to push the Trump White House away from their moves toward authoritarianism and back toward a situation that elicits dialogue, negotiations, and compromise.”
What Happens Next
The House and Senate must approve a spending bill to avoid a government shutdown by March 14.
The Senate is also set to vote on whether to confirm the remaining Trump Cabinet picks, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Health and Human Services secretary.
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