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Trump

Democrats ask: Why would we help Trump and the Republicans?

It is said that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

President Donald Trump, Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune might be about to find that out.

Government funding runs out on March 14, just 39 days from now. And with a one-vote margin in the House and the 60-vote threshold in the Senate, GOP congressional leaders desperately need Democratic support to keep federal agencies open.

But Trump’s unilateral decisions to begin to have the State Department take control over (at least temporarily) the United States Agency for International Development, impose stiff new tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China and strip deportation protection for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans has left Democrats wondering whether it’s still politically feasible to help Republicans conduct any normal business on Capitol Hill.

Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said this to us:

And here’s what one senior House Democratic aide told us about the political dynamics, echoing Murray’s view:

This isn’t an idle point. There is a decade-plus of evidence that House Republicans can’t pass government-funding bills on their own, even with big majorities. Two out of the last three GOP speakers lost their jobs during government funding fights. And as early as next week, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) will resign from the House to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, narrowing Johnson’s majority to 217-215 until April.

Plus, Trump wants Congress to raise the debt limit until 2029, which will require Democratic cooperation in both chambers. California also is expected to need tens of billions of dollars in federal help to recover from last month’s devastating wildfires.

Democrats are asking what’s in it for them politically to help enact all these must-pass bills while Trump picks trade wars, slashes Medicaid and other social programs and fires thousands of federal workers.

How Democrats want to tie Trump’s hands. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (Conn.), top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said in an interview that Trump’s decision last week to freeze all federal grants and loan programs — withdrawn after a huge uproar — plus the confusion over what’s happening at USAID hurts America’s standing in the world.

“The move is contrary to national security,” DeLauro said. “I really believe our adversaries — China, Russia, Iran — are hoping that the Trump administration somehow doesn’t put the kind of focus and attention on the work of USAID. The work saves lives.”

Yet despite the controversies, DeLauro is still hopeful that the two sides can reach a deal over FY2025 government funding. DeLauro and Murray are insisting that any agreement boost spending by 1% over the enacted FY2024 bills. GOP leaders will face heavy pressure from their right if they go along with that, though.

“I am very strongly in favor of us moving forward,” DeLauro said. “We have to move forward on a topline, do the allocations for the subcommittees and do the bills that we can get done by March 14. Congress cannot give up and walk away from what our responsibilities are.”

Democrats, though, would also like to see language in any agreement saying the Trump administration “must” spend the funds as mandated by Congress, according to Democratic aides. This is an attempt to stop the White House — particularly OMB director nominee Russell Vought  from “impounding” funds approved by Congress and signed into law, a direct challenge to Congress’ power of the purse.

With roughly $30 billion in annual funding, USAID is tiny compared to the Pentagon or other departments. Yet the MAGA movement has long focused on cutting foreign aid.

Hill Republicans said Secretary of State Marco Rubio has assumed responsibility for USAID operations temporarily. It’s unclear how much Rubio will be involved in day-to-day decision-making there.

Mega-billionaire Elon Musk, who is running the unofficial “Department of Government Efficiency,” attacked USAID on X.com Sunday after two DOGE officials were initially rebuffed from gaining access to personnel files and other classified information. Two USAID security officials were put on leave over the incident, CNN reported.

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Editorial photos provided by Getty Images. Political ads courtesy of AdImpact.