White House adviser says US government shutdown ‘likely to end this week’

WASHINGTON (AA) — The ongoing US government shutdown is “likely to end sometime this week,” White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said Monday, voicing optimism that Democrats and Republicans will soon reach a deal.

“The president has been very active throughout this process, but it’s also his position that this is a thing that the Senate needs to work out,” Hassett said in an interview with CNBC.

He suggested that Democrats may now be ready to compromise following last weekend’s nationwide “No Kings” protests against the Trump administration. “A lot of our friends in the Senate have said that it was just bad optics for Democrats to open the government before the rally, and that now there’s a shot that this week, things will come together,” he added.

Democrats have denied any connection between the protests and their negotiating stance.

Hassett warned that the Trump administration could take “stronger measures” if talks continue to stall.

The shutdown began on Oct. 1 after a breakdown in negotiations over federal spending priorities, leading to thousands of federal employees being furloughed or working without pay. Several public services — including IRS taxpayer assistance and operations at National Park visitor centers — have been suspended.

At the center of the dispute are rising health insurance costs.

Democrats have insisted on continued federal subsidies to make health plans affordable for millions of Americans before approving a temporary spending bill to reopen the government.

They argue that since the administration could afford tax cuts for billionaires in its summer budget, it should also be able to fund health care subsidies for working- and middle-class Americans.