JD Vance Assumes White House Press Briefings Amid Government Shutdown

Vice President JD Vance and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the media during a press briefing amid the government shutdown caused by disputes with Democrat senators, particularly blaming the progressive faction of the Democratic Party for refusing to approve stopgap funding. Vance and Leavitt emphasized that President Trump and Republicans oppose using taxpayer money to fund healthcare for illegal immigrants, which they cited as a key reason for the shutdown. Democrats opposing the funding bill cited the need to extend tax credits for health insurance, reverse Medicaid cuts, and oppose health agency budget cuts. Leavitt, the youngest White House press secretary and former Trump 2024 campaign press secretary, recently moved into the traditional press secretary office in the West Wing, taking over duties from the departing deputy chief of staff for communications. The briefing marked the first since the government shutdown, which took effect after federal funding lapsed, also coinciding with the implementation of Trump administration tariffs on various goods. Overall, the administration maintained a firm stance against funding proposals they associate with Democratic priorities, underscoring ongoing partisan tensions over budget and policy issues.