President Donald Trump has found a way to fund federal programs even as Senate Democrats led by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer prevent the government from shutting down.
On Monday, the Trump administration funded The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) during what Republicans have rightly dubbed the “Schumer shutdown” by redirecting revenue generated from Trump tariffs on imported goods. The White House announced the move as a temporary measure designed to prevent immediate failures To near 7 million low-income pregnant women, new mothers, infants and young children under five who rely on food assistance, breastfeeding support and other related services.
While Trump has failed to provide funding for essential federal employees such as members of the U.S. military, the Secret Service and air traffic controllers, they have not yet missed a paycheck. However, the October 15 deadline to do so is fast approaching. And yes, most of these employees will get paid for the missed pay periods, but that doesn't mean they will be able to survive without credit help.
Chairman @AugustPfluger answering a question during @RepublicanStudy management's call regarding a circulating OMB memo purporting to say furloughed federal workers may not necessarily have their pay returned.
“The law specifically states that they will…
— Ashley Brasfield (@BrasfieldAshley) October 7, 2025
Democrats will have to decide whether their radical left policies are worth continuing the government shutdown, or whether they will do the right thing and vote for the Continuing Resolution (CR) passed by the House of Representatives. Recent polls show they are losing the narrative battle on this issue. Nearly half (40 percent) of Democrats say their party's positions are not worth shutting down the government, leaving essential workers and programs unfunded. according to for CBS News. Only 28 percent agree with Senate Democrats who view funding as being held hostage. (Sign up for Mary Rook's weekly newsletter here!)
The question arises as to why Democrats feel it is politically expedient to continue this fight when the majority of their electorate wants them to capitulate to the Republicans. Especially since the Democrats essentially lost the 2024 election because the elected members decided to support the radical left wing of their party, sending many independents to the ballot box who would otherwise have voted blue to support the Republicans. How do Democrats expect to win back these voters if they choose to fund health care for illegal immigrants rather than pay the US military and fund programs like WIC?
And while Republicans are fighting a similar internal battle with a majority of voters pleading for an end to the shutdown, the optics that Trump has been able to create by using tariff revenue to fund WIC is a master class in amassing political capital. Here he addresses an issue (tariffs) that, although successful, has not had a significant impact on solving kitchen table problems and directly links it to the ability to feed mothers and babies.
While Democrats are putting Americans last and allowing the WIC program to end this week, President Trump has proposed a solution to preserve funding—ensuring mothers and children don't go hungry.
Political games won't stop the Trump administration from putting Americans first. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/QVsjfPBUd3
— White House (@WhiteHouse) October 8, 2025
Trump has taken away the biggest weapon in the Democrats' political arsenal, serving our country's most vulnerable despite the Democratic-led shutdown. If Republicans were smart, they would bring these mothers with them to the media to explain what this funding means for their families, just as Trump gave the microphone to mothers who lost children to cruel illegal immigrants. Then, to drive home the point of this story, remind the American people that while our military members serve faithfully overseas, their wives and young children suffer because Democrats refuse to fund the government. (RU: Britain's digital dystopia is a warning for America, but some see it as a roadmap)
Trump, more than any other politician of our time, understands the importance of controlling optics to winning the narrative war. His decision to fund WIC with tariff revenue killed two birds with one stone. This left Democrats politically vulnerable on a critical issue while also protecting vulnerable mothers and their children.
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