There's "really nothing" President Donald Trump can do to end the Democrats' government shutdown, Rep. Mark Harris, R-N.C., told Newsmax on Thursday.
Appearing on "Wake Up America," Harris was asked whether there was anything Trump could do to bring the current federal shutdown to a close.
"There's really nothing to be done," he told host Sharla McBride. "A clean CR [continuing resolution] that the Democrats had supported 13 times previously — that's all we're asking for.
"There's nothing to negotiate here. The Democrats have got to just come to their senses that they can no longer hold the American people hostage."
Harris accused Democrats of deliberately prolonging the standoff to "inflict pain" on the American public and undermine the administration's record of accomplishments.
"We are not seeing at this point any movement by the Democrats to stop this silliness," Harris said.
"They're playing politics, and we're calling it the politics of pain. And the American people are the victims here."
Harris said House Republicans "did our work" in September by passing a "clean" CR to keep the government open until Nov. 21.
The Senate Democrats, he said, now have rejected that measure "12 times" despite it containing no policy riders or spending gimmicks.
"There were no tricks, there were no add-ons, there was nothing," Harris emphasized. "It was just simply a clean CR."
He warned that the shutdown is beginning to have serious real-world consequences, especially for low-income Americans.
"Here we are now, coming toward the end of the month, and all of these federal workers, they're at risk," Harris said.
"I'm told that next month SNAP [the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program] will run out of money.
"So the poorest in our country are about to become the victims of the 'Schumer shutdown' and the pure politics they are playing right now."
Responding to Massachusetts House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark's description of the shutdown as "leverage," Harris said it shows that Democrats "just got tired of Donald Trump winning."
He pointed to the administration's early legislative and economic successes — including "the one 'big, beautiful bill,' the working families tax cut" — as evidence of why Democrats are seeking confrontation.
"The president was having win after win, and they're just looking for any way they can to try to throw a wrench in it," he said.
Harris predicted voters will punish Democrats for using the shutdown as a political weapon.
"I believe the American people are smart enough to see it," he said. "I think the American people are going to bring a backlash to the Democrats for the action that they're taking."
Harris closed by expressing hope for a breakthrough.
"It's ridiculous," he said. "And I pray that they [Democrats] come to their senses sooner rather than later."
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Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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