House Democrats reportedly unleashed frustration at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) during a closed-door caucus meeting focused on government funding. According to Axios, lawmakers accused Schumer of betraying their party by backing a Republican funding measure in March that nearly every Democrat opposed.
Many fear he could side with Republicans again in another budget standoff. “There was anticipatory anger rooted in what went down in March … Schumer was named explicitly,” one anonymous House Democrat told Axios. “The overriding concern was that Senate Democrats would get cold feet. Schumer can’t s— the bed.”
The meeting was described as heated, with members openly venting about Schumer and the Senate’s approach. A senior House Democrat said there was “mucho” anger in the room, while another added that there is “lots of concern … that we aren’t sending a message that fights enough.”
The backdrop is a looming deadline. If Congress does not approve a budget by October 1, the government will shut down. Neither the House nor the Senate is on track to pass all appropriation bills by then, making it likely that leaders will turn to a short-term continuing resolution to keep the government funded.
Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) have said they are seeking Democratic votes to reverse some of the healthcare provisions in the Republican-backed package known as the “One Big, Beautiful Bill.” Jeffries emphasized that coordination between House and Senate Democrats remains steady.
“House and Senate Democrats have been in close touch throughout this process, and we will continue to meet regularly,” Jeffries said. On the Republican side, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has signaled that his caucus is waiting for direction from former President Donald Trump before moving ahead with spending decisions.
According to Politico, Johnson told colleagues in a private meeting that appropriators are waiting on “anomaly” requests from Trump’s budget aides. Three people present, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the remarks. The tensions highlight the deep divisions within both parties as the shutdown deadline approaches.
For Democrats, the central concern remains whether their Senate counterparts, led by Schumer, will stand firm in negotiations or repeat what some House members view as concessions to Republicans. For Republicans, the uncertainty lies in Trump’s influence over the party’s budget strategy.
With less than a month before the government runs out of funding, the path forward remains unclear. What is certain is that the pressure is mounting on both parties to avoid a shutdown that would have widespread consequences across the country.