President Donald Trump just scored another major political victory — and California’s Gavin Newsom isn’t taking it well.
The Democrat governor lashed out in frustration after eight Senate Democrats broke ranks and joined Republicans to end the record-breaking 40-day government shutdown, handing Trump a decisive win and exposing growing cracks inside the Democratic Party.
Newsom, viewed by many as a 2028 presidential hopeful, accused his own party members of “capitulation” and “betrayal.” On X, he fumed, “This should have been a time for strength. Instead, we saw betrayal of working Americans.”
The Senate’s bipartisan vote finally moved to reopen the government and get millions of federal workers paid again — a move long pushed by President Trump and resisted by Democratic leadership. The deal left many progressives furious, since it didn’t guarantee permanent extensions of Obamacare tax credits, only a later vote to address them.
The eight Democrats who sided with the GOP — including John Fetterman, Tim Kaine, Catherine Cortez Masto, Jeanne Shaheen, Maggie Hassan, Dick Durbin, Jacky Rosen, and independent Angus King — said they couldn’t justify keeping America closed any longer.
Their defiance has intensified the growing rift inside the Democratic Party. Progressive firebrands such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Ro Khanna publicly slammed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for what they called weak leadership. Khanna even went as far as to urge Schumer to step down, arguing, “If you can’t stand up and fight to keep healthcare costs from soaring, then what are you fighting for?”
The shutdown — the longest in U.S. history — crippled major agencies, disrupted air travel, and left hundreds of thousands of federal employees without pay. But Trump’s firm negotiating stance forced Democrats to blink first, underscoring his reputation as a dealmaker who doesn’t back down under pressure.
Even Schumer, who voted against the compromise, faced backlash for losing control of his caucus and failing to unite Democrats against the GOP plan. Many on the left now see him as politically weakened — just as President Trump consolidates strength ahead of 2026 and beyond.
The bipartisan bill now heads to the House and will ultimately land on President Trump’s desk for his signature — cementing another decisive Trump win and another Democrat meltdown.