President Donald Trump unleashed a fierce attack on fellow Republicans as the Department of Homeland Security funding crisis intensified, with senators departing the capital for a two-week recess without any clear path to resolution. The bitter standoff escalated dramatically on Friday when the House and Senate passed conflicting bills, creating a fresh deadlock just as lawmakers began exiting Washington.
Lawmakers Flee as Negotiations Collapse
Senators including Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders were observed boarding flights out of Washington DC shortly after the Senate approved its overnight funding measure, which later collapsed in the House. According to TMZ reports, Sanders was seen departing in a first-class cabin seat, even as approximately 61,000 Transportation Security Administration workers remained without pay due to the ongoing impasse.
Trump's Fiery Rebuke from Air Force One
As legislators left town, President Trump erupted during an interview with Fox News Senior White House Correspondent Jacqui Heinrich from Air Force One. He explicitly endorsed the House rejection of the Senate bill and focused his criticism on the omission of funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and certain parts of Customs and Border Protection.
'It wasn't good. It wasn't appropriate,' Trump told Heinrich, before proposing that the Senate should eliminate the filibuster and force a decisive vote. 'Now what they should do is they should terminate the filibuster, Jacqui, and just vote, but you have three or four Republicans in there that are not doing the right thing,' he added.
Trump further accused Democrats of seeking open borders, stating, 'This whole thing is about the Democrats wanting to have open borders, no ICE, no Border Patrol. These people are crazy. They want open borders, they want no Border Patrol, they want no ICE, they want no nothing, except for criminals to pour into our country and it's not going to happen.'
Legislative Gridlock and Partisan Blame
The Senate had worked through the night to pass a bipartisan bill funding most of the Department of Homeland Security, but notably excluded ICE and sections of CBP, a point that infuriated conservative lawmakers. By Friday evening, the House dismantled this effort with a razor-thin 213–203 vote, advancing a rival short-term funding bill that would finance the entire department for 60 days—a measure widely viewed as dead on arrival in the Senate.
House Speaker Mike Johnson did not hold back in his criticism, declaring, 'This gambit that was done last night is a joke,' and directly blaming Democrats for the stalemate. In response, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer warned that the House plan would go nowhere and only prolong the shutdown. Meanwhile, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries argued that the Senate bill could have passed the House if leadership had permitted a vote, asserting, 'This could end, and should end, today.' Instead, Washington came to a standstill before emptying out for the Easter recess.
Impact on Workers and Travel Disruptions
The funding collapse leaves the Department of Homeland Security in a state of limbo. The shutdown, now nearing record length, has left roughly 61,000 workers without pay and triggered severe disruptions at airports nationwide, where TSA staffing shortages have caused security lines to stretch for hours, as seen at Terminal 5 of JFK Airport on Friday.
In response to the crisis, President Trump signed an emergency executive order on Friday directing the Department of Homeland Security to pay Transportation Security Administration officers, a move expected to alleviate pressure on airport operations. 'America's air travel system has reached its breaking point,' Trump stated in the memo authorizing the payments. 'I have determined that these circumstances constitute an emergency situation compromising the Nation's security.' Officials indicated that paychecks could begin arriving as early as Monday.
Senators' Departures and Office Responses
Senators were seen heading for exits, with reports of lawmakers boarding flights and commencing their recess even as negotiations fell apart. Cruz was photographed seated on a plane departing for Texas, while others quickly slipped out of the capital. Sanders' office countered claims of vacation, explaining that he was traveling to a previously scheduled 'No Kings' rally in Minnesota.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Senators Sanders and Cruz for additional comments on the situation, highlighting the ongoing political tensions and the human impact of the funding crisis.
