The U.S. Senate narrowly passed a stopgap spending bill late Friday, averting a partial government shutdown but exposing deep rifts within the Democratic Party over how to counter President Donald Trump’s aggressive cost-cutting measures. The vote, which saw Senate Democrats fracture over their approach to Trump’s policies, underscores the challenges facing the party as it navigates the realities of being in the congressional minority.
After days of intense negotiations and Democratic infighting, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer broke the deadlock late Thursday, signaling that he would support the measure despite his reservations. The bill, which passed 54-46, keeps federal funding largely flat at $6.75 trillion for the fiscal year ending September 30 but includes a $7 billion spending cut—an outcome that many Democrats found unacceptable.
Schumer acknowledged that the bill was not what his party had hoped for but argued that allowing a shutdown would have been even more damaging.
“I knew some would disagree, but I felt shutting down the government would have been a disaster,” Schumer told reporters after the vote.
The House of Representatives, under Republican control, had already passed the measure earlier in the week, leaving Senate Democrats with little leverage to modify the bill. The White House is expected to sign the bill into law immediately.
Democratic frustration over the spending bill was driven in part by President Trump’s continued efforts to shrink the federal workforce and cut government spending. These moves have been strongly backed by billionaire entrepreneur and Trump adviser Elon Musk, who has publicly pushed for deep reductions in government programs, arguing they are inefficient and wasteful.
The White House has framed the spending cuts as a necessary correction to years of excessive government growth. However, many Democrats view them as an attack on federal workers and social safety net programs.
“This bill does nothing to stop Trump’s campaign to halt congressionally mandated spending and slash tens of thousands of jobs,” said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), expressing concerns shared by many in his party.
Republicans, meanwhile, praised the passage of the bill as a necessary step toward fiscal responsibility.
“We need to get our financial house in order, and this bill is a step in that direction,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. “We will not allow reckless government spending to continue unchecked.”
Schumer’s decision to support the bill has triggered a firestorm within his own party. House Democrats, who were gathered at a retreat outside Washington when news of Schumer’s position broke, reacted with shock and anger.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries refused to say whether he still backed Schumer’s leadership when pressed by reporters at a hastily arranged press conference.
“Our focus is on fighting for the American people,” Jeffries said, deflecting questions about Schumer’s role.
Many rank-and-file Democrats were less restrained in their criticism. More than 60 House Democrats signed a letter urging Schumer to reject the bill, and several prominent lawmakers voiced their frustration publicly.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) criticized the decision without naming Schumer directly. Ocasio-Cortez took to social media on Thursday, calling an affirmative vote on the bill “unthinkable.”
Progressive Democrats were especially incensed, arguing that their party should take a more aggressive stance against Trump’s policies.
“Today the biggest split among Democrats is between those who want to stand and fight and those who want to play dead,” said Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas), who leads the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) was even more blunt, suggesting that Democratic voters should take matters into their own hands.
“When the Senate Minority Leader sells you out, the only option is to take back the party and country with grassroots activists in blue and red districts to stand up for the Constitution and our democracy,” Khanna posted online.
The bill largely maintains federal funding at current levels but makes key adjustments that have drawn sharp criticism from Democrats.
Cuts $7 billion in total spending compared to last year’s budget.
Increases military funding by $6 billion while slashing non-defense programs by $13 billion.
Does not include additional funding for social programs that Democrats had sought.
Republicans, emboldened by their success in passing the measure, are already turning their attention to further fiscal priorities. Next on their agenda is a plan to extend and expand Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, boost border security funding, and implement additional spending reductions—proposals that Democrats warn could severely impact programs like Medicaid.
The passage of the stopgap bill does little to resolve the looming crisis over the federal debt ceiling. Congress must act within the next few months to raise the debt ceiling or risk defaulting on the government’s nearly $36.6 trillion in debt.
Republicans have indicated that they plan to use procedural maneuvers to push through a debt ceiling increase without Democratic support. However, analysts warn that their proposed changes could add between $5 trillion and $11 trillion to the national debt over the next decade, potentially triggering long-term economic instability.
“This is an extremely dangerous game,” said Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. “If Congress doesn’t act responsibly, we could see major disruptions in financial markets.”
With control of neither the House nor the Senate, Democrats face an uphill battle in trying to counter Trump’s spending policies. The cracks within their leadership, particularly between progressives and moderates, could weaken their ability to present a united front.
For now, the passage of the stopgap spending bill avoids an immediate crisis, but the broader debate over government funding, tax cuts, and entitlement programs is far from over.
The Democratic Party’s response in the coming months will determine whether they can effectively push back against Trump’s agenda—or whether, as some progressives fear, they will continue to compromise in ways that alienate their base.
