Shutdown Won’t Last
Author: Greg Valliere
February 2, 2026
Members of both parties were so mercilessly vilified after the lengthy government shutdown last fall that they’re now trying bipartisanship.
It’s possible that the current shutdown will only last for a few days; it could even end by tomorrow night.
The conciliatory mood starts with Donald Trump, who reportedly has been stunned by the public’s horrified reaction to the violence in Minneapolis.
The desire to compromise comes from another source — a growing fear among Republicans that they will get hammered in the November elections. A GOP open house seat in Texas was wiped out easily in an election on Saturday in Houston. The easy win stunned Republicans.
So House Speaker Mike Johnson is ready to pass a bill that will end the shutdown while spending $1.2 trillion. The House will debate, separately, spending for the Department of Homeland Security.
This will be a turning point. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer will get more spending and ICE reforms — and the shutdown will be over soon, probably by the end of the week.
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