Trump Demands Government Reopening; Democrats Reject Border-Funding Ultimatum

Trump Calls to "Reopen the Government" Amid Shutdown

President Donald Trump has intensified calls to end the ongoing government shutdown, urging Congress to "reopen the government immediately" and accusing Democrats of obstructing his administration's agenda. The shutdown, now in its third week, has left thousands of federal workers furloughed and operations in key agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Aviation Administration, at reduced capacity.

The White House has framed the impasse as a partisan battle over Trump's proposed border security measures and budget priorities. "The Democrats are playing politics with the lives of hardworking Americans," Trump declared in a Truth Social post. "We will not let them hold the country hostage for their radical demands."

Meanwhile, New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, a leading figure in the Democratic primary, has rebuffed Trump's recent threats to withhold federal funding from the city if he wins the November election. Mamdani, a democratic socialist, dismissed Trump's rhetoric as a distraction from the administration's broader governance failures. "If the president wants to fight, I'll be there to fight him," Mamdani said in an interview with The Good Liars, a political satire account. He also rejected Trump's characterization of him as a communist, stating, "I'm a democratic socialist, but I anticipate the president will continue to call me whatever comes to his mind." Mamdani, who defeated former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary, faces independent candidate Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa in the general election.

On the global stage, Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to finalize a trade and tariff agreement during a summit in South Korea. The deal, months in the making, aims to reduce retaliatory tariffs on Chinese goods to 55% from 145% and address U.S. concerns over fentanyl precursor chemicals. Trump also signaled openness to a potential compromise on TikTok, which faces a U.S. ban unless its Chinese parent company divests. The agreement comes amid a broader truce in their trade war, which has seen both sides scale back tariffs since earlier this year.

Domestically, the Federal Reserve has resisted Trump's repeated demands to slash interest rates. At its latest meeting, the Fed voted to cut rates by 0.25%, a move critics argue is insufficient to address inflation, which remains above the central bank's 2% target. Trump has criticized the Fed's independence, arguing that lower rates are needed to stimulate economic growth. "The Fed is being stubborn," he said in a recent interview. "They're ignoring the needs of the American people." However, Fed officials have defended their cautious approach, citing persistent inflationary pressures and the risks of overstimulating the economy.

In the cryptocurrency space, the Trump-linked memecoin (TRUMP) has seen a recent rebound after a steep 90% decline from its $9 billion market peak. The token's issuer, Fight Fight Fight LLC, is in advanced talks to acquire Republic.com's U.S. operations, a crowdfunding platform that could integrate TRUMP as a payment and investment tool. The deal, if finalized, would mark a significant step toward legitimizing the memecoin's utility beyond speculative trading. Fight Fight Fight is also raising a $200 million digital-asset treasury to stabilize the token's value.

The memecoin's resurgence coincided with a $160 million Bitcoin purchase by American Bitcoin, a treasury co-founded by Trump's sons. The acquisition, part of a broader push to bolster the Trump family's crypto holdings, has drawn attention to the administration's pro-crypto policies, which include pardons for industry figures and regulatory reforms.

As the shutdown drags on, with no immediate resolution in sight, Trump's administration faces growing pressure to address the economic and operational impacts of the standoff. With key elections approaching and global trade dynamics shifting, the president's ability to navigate these challenges will likely shape his second term's legacy.