Republicans slam No. 2 House Democrat for acknowledging the Left’s leverage point in the shutdown

Published October 22, 2025 5:01pm ET



The Trump administration and House Republicans have accused Democrats of “celebrating” the government shutdown after Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) admitted that it is one of the “few leverage times we have.”

“I mean, shutdowns are terrible, and of course there will be, you know, families that are going to suffer,” Clark, the No. 2 House Democrat, told Fox News. “We take that responsibility very seriously, but it is one of the few leverage times we have.”

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