Unlike previous shutdowns, including the one during his first term, this time President Donald Trump appears largely unfazed. He hasn’t curtailed his travel, skipped his golf outings, or operated with a bare-bones West Wing staff. Even the hamburgers at the White House aren’t from McDonald’s this time.
In shutdowns past — including during Trump's first term — presidents normally scaled back their schedules. With staffers deemed “non-essential” sent home, the White House often sought to appear sympathetic to Americans affected by disruptions to health care, veterans benefits and other key services.
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The ongoing shutdown has furloughed about 750,000 federal workers, with many others working without pay. Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program expires on Friday, threatening benefits for one in eight Americans who depend on it for groceries.
Nonetheless, it's been mostly business as usual for Trump over the past 29 days.
“It’s like that country song: ‘Sometimes falling feels like flying for a little while,’" said Paul Begala, a Democratic strategist and former adviser to President Bill Clinton, who presided over two shutdowns between 1995 and 1996.
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