The current government shutdown, dubbed the “nuclear war of shutdowns,” has a more significant impact on federal jobs and grants compared to previous ones. President Trump is using this opportunity to freeze billions in federal grants to Democratic states and threaten layoffs among federal workers.

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Democrats are not interested in compromise but rather in assigning blame. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries called the president’s tactics “outrageous” and “unhinged,” while House Speaker Mike Johnson defended the administration’s decisions, blaming Senate Democrats for empowering the White House to cut federal jobs and freeze grants.

Neither side seems eager for a deal; Trump hasn’t rushed into talks with Democratic leaders. In the first few days of the shutdown, his administration froze $18 billion in federal funding for infrastructure projects in New York City, halted $2.1 billion in Chicago transit projects, and cut nearly $8 billion in Energy Department grants in 16 states.

Democrats are facing complicated political calculations due to their supporters’ frustration with the congressional leadership’s inability to stand up to Trump during his dizzying opening months of the second term. According to an NPR/Marist Poll, only 48% of Democratic voters approve of how congressional Democrats are handling the situation, compared to 87% of Republicans.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has taken a hard stance against the GOP’s position, saying they care more about protecting the Epstein files than American health care. The shutdown is scoring the most far-reaching impact since Trump’s first term, setting new precedents in how presidents can wield power during such crises.