Special Poll
President Trump signed the Republican-crafted spending bill to prevent a government shutdown, the White House confirmed on Saturday. The legislation, which funds the government through September 30, marks the first major funding battle of Trump’s second term and has sparked internal divisions among Democrats on Capitol Hill.
The bill, which Trump had previously endorsed, increases defense spending by $6 billion while cutting $13 billion from non-defense programs. The deadline to avoid a government shutdown was 11:59 p.m. Friday, but the White House did not announce Trump’s approval until midday Saturday. Meanwhile, Trump spent the weekend in Palm Beach and was seen golfing at Mar-a-Lago early that morning.
The final Senate vote to approve the bill was 54-46, with two Democrats joining 52 Republicans to pass it. However, the more critical vote came earlier when the Senate voted 62-38 to advance the legislation. A 60-vote majority was required at that stage, and 10 Democrats joined all but one Republican, to meet the threshold.
The bill moved forward after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced on Thursday that he would support it, a decision that outraged House Democrats who had urged their colleagues in the Senate to block the measure. Schumer’s move deepened tensions within his party, as progressive members viewed the compromise as a concession to Trump’s spending priorities.