President Donald Trump defended his refusal to sign the latest congressional spending bill, directly blaming Democrats for the ongoing government shutdown — now the longest in U.S. history at over 38 days as of November 7, 2025. The shutdown, which began on October 1 after Congress failed to reach an appropriations agreement, continues to paralyze several key federal agencies and delay pay for hundreds of thousands of government workers.

“We have a shutdown because the Democrats… they’re crazy,” President Trump declared during a press briefing at the White House. “They don’t care if they hurt the country. We’re not going to give $1.5 trillion to people that came into our country illegally — we’re not going to do it.”  

The President was referring to a Democratic-backed proposal allocating $1.5 trillion toward expanded medical care, welfare, and benefit coverage for undocumented immigrants — including individuals previously detained in prisons and mental institutions. The White House has denounced the plan as fiscally reckless and fundamentally unfair to American citizens struggling with rising costs of living.

Administration officials argue that the President’s stance is grounded in principle, not politics. “The American taxpayer should not foot the bill for illegal immigration,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. “This is about putting citizens first.”  

Democratic leaders, meanwhile, have accused the President of holding the government “hostage” over ideological disputes. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer claimed the proposal’s figures were distorted, calling Trump’s remarks “a dangerous distraction from his own failure to negotiate.”  

As the shutdown enters its sixth week, its impacts are rippling across the economy — from delayed federal aid to disrupted airport operations and mounting pressure on small contractors dependent on government work. Despite growing calls for compromise, President Trump has made clear he will not yield on what he describes as a “national sovereignty issue.”  

“This country belongs to its citizens,” Trump reiterated. “We’re going to protect our borders, protect our taxpayers, and protect our future — no matter how long it takes.”  

The standoff shows no immediate sign of resolution, but within the White House, aides say the President remains confident that public sentiment will ultimately favor his insistence on fiscal restraint and border control over what he views as radical spending demands from the left.