Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) slammed a Senate deal to end the government shutdown effectively, calling the compromise a Democratic “surrender” and taking aim at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer‘s (D-NY) leadership over the past 40 days.
“Tonight’s Senate vote on the federal government shutdown should have been a time for strength,” the governor, who is eyeing a 2028 White House bid, posted on X. “Instead we saw capitulation and betrayal of working Americans. The American people need more from their leaders.”
The Senate voted 60 to 40 Sunday night after a group of seven Democrats and one independent joined Republicans to reopen the government via a stopgap funding bill through Jan. 30, 2026. The vote is the first step toward ending the longest shutdown in U.S. history.
The compromise will fund most federal agencies through January, but doesn’t guarantee the extension of healthcare subsidies, something that had been a sticking point for Democrats. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) promised to hold a separate vote to extend the subsidies by mid-December. No such promise was made by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA).
“Pathetic. This isn’t a deal. It’s a surrender. Don’t bend the knee!” Newsom’s office wrote on X.
Even though Schumer came out against the deal, he has received backlash from within his own party for failing to keep members in line.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) also slammed the senior senator from New York on social media.
“Senator Schumer is no longer effective and should be replaced,” Khanna wrote. “If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?”
Newsom, fresh off a Proposition 50 win last week that was largely seen as an indictment against President Donald Trump‘s policies, has been trying to stay in the headlines as he pivots toward 2028. He went to Texas to rally Democrats on Saturday before speaking Monday at a global investors’ summit in Sao Paulo. He’ll then speak at the COP30, the annual global climate conference.
“I thought our immune system was woken up last Tuesday with the American elections,” Newsom said, referring to Democrats’ wins in Virginia, New York City, and New Jersey. “I worry now, though, that sounds like some of my colleagues and friends in the United States Senate, some of my Democratic colleagues, just decided that we’re playing by the old set of rules, not the new set of rules, and may have rolled over a little bit.”
WHAT DEMOCRATS HAVE SAID ABOUT VOTING TO END THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
He added that Democrats need to “hold the line because I think America will become unrecognizable in a year or two unless we fight back.”
The eight senators who voted in favor of ending the shutdown included: Sens. John Fetterman (D-PA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Angus King (I-ME).