Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) acknowledged in a recent interview that the ongoing government shutdown — which has halted key federal services, including SNAP food assistance — is being used by Democrats as a source of political leverage in negotiations with the Republican-led government.
Speaking on C-SPAN’s Ceasefire program, Coons described the shutdown as Democrats’ “only moment of leverage” to influence policy decisions while Republicans hold control of the House, Senate, and White House following the 2024 elections.
Coons argued that the shutdown centers largely on health-care funding and efforts to block expected increases in insurance costs. He warned that without action, “millions of Americans [will] get notices that their health insurance is going to double in cost,” and suggested emergency room wait times and overall health-care coverage would be negatively affected.
While referring to the shutdown tool as “very unpleasant,” Coons indicated Democrats believe the consequences of upcoming health-care changes justify the tactic:
“Frankly, this is our only moment of leverage, and although a very unpleasant tool to use…”
Republicans criticized Coons’ remarks, pointing to the disruption of programs like SNAP and accusing Democrats of putting political strategy above families’ needs. The Senate GOP highlighted his comments in a social-media post and video clip.
Coons’ statement follows similar remarks by House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA), who last week described shutdowns as “terrible” and harmful to families, but also acknowledged they can serve as one of the few opportunities for Democrats to negotiate policy under current political conditions.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded to Clark’s comments by accusing Democrats of intentionally harming Americans during the shutdown. Clark rejected that claim, arguing her comments were taken out of context and emphasizing Democrats’ concern for affected families.
As negotiations continue, both parties continue to trade blame over the shutdown’s impact and the political strategy behind it.
