Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ) discussed President Donald Trump's last-minute decision to meet with Democratic leaders ahead of a potential government shutdown in a recent appearance on Fox and Friends First, suggesting Democrats want to avoid being viewed as the instigators of a shutdown.
President Trump had previously stated he would refuse to negotiate, but changed his mind over the weekend, which House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said forces Democrats to determine which services and employees are essential.
Rep. Biggs echoed the sentiment on Fox and Friends, expressing that Trump "is going to tell [House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY)], 'You have military people that we want to get sure everybody gets funded. You have to make sure that federal employees get funded.' And they will be the ones that are going to stop that funding." "They are the ones, as the Speaker said, will be actually stopping and determining who is non-essential, because non-essential people can get terminated or not be paid and sent home," he added.
Host Todd Piro asked Rep. Biggs if the current shutdown situation felt "different" from previous instances, as the partisan divide is now much deeper than it was before.
"We actually do an average of five continuing resolutions every year for the last 20 years," the Arizona Congressman replied. "That is ridiculous, of course, but I would say that it seems performative on the part of the Democrats, and I will tell you why: It is because the shoe is on the other foot now. They are the ones that are going to be the ones blamed for the shutdown."
Biggs further argued that House Republicans gave the Democrats seven weeks to negotiate appropriations bills via the continuing resolution, yet "the Democrats are saying, 'We do not want that. We want everything now.' And I think that that is performative on the part of the Democrats, and they will cave."
Co-host Carley Shimkus noted that Democrats' demands revolve around healthcare, asking Biggs what it is they want.
"What they really want is to go back and keep the Obama-era funding that was supposed to be temporary due to COVID," the Arizona Congressman answered. "So they want to keep all of that, which included giving money to illegal aliens."
