White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is escalating criticism of congressional Democrats as the government shutdown is now underway, zeroing in on what she described as a dangerous refusal to properly fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
“Last night, they sent over a counterproposal that frankly was very unserious, and we hope they get serious very soon because Americans are going to be impacted,” Leavitt said, according to The Hill.
Behind closed doors, negotiations have revealed little to the public, but tensions have spilled into the open as both parties continue to exchange sharp criticism over the ongoing stalemate.
“For over a month, Democrats have shut down the Department of Homeland Security — inflicting pain on over 100,000 American families missing paychecks and causing widespread disruption to millions of travelers across the country.” https://t.co/ymbSYCshni
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) March 19, 2026
“They’ve got to get serious,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, said about the government shutdown. “The key issues of warrants when you bust in someone’s house, the key issue of identity of police, no masks, they haven’t budged on those, they’ve got to get serious.”
“Democrats are the reason that the Department of Homeland Security is currently shut down,” Leavitt said, speaking from the briefing room. “They have chosen to act against the American people for political reasons and now we have FEMA workers, the men and women of the United States Coast Guard, the men and women of TSA, who keep our airports moving, who will be working without paychecks for no good reason other than the Democrats wanting to pick a fight with Donald Trump, and the president thinks that is irresponsible and despicable.”
Karoline Leavitt was also asked about where talks stand. She said she did not believe President Trump had spoken directly with Democratic leaders about the legislation but said he has had members of his administration as well as his own representatives speaking with Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill.
She said Democrats had sent the White House a 10-point counter proposal on February 4 that addressed strengthening warrant requirements, agent identification requirements when in the field and ending roving patrols. That framework was turned into legislative text and shared with GOP members Feb. 7.
Poor Chuck!
President Trump drops bombshell news on Chuck Schumer – thanks to the Democrats’ government shutdown, Trump is CANCELLING Schumer’s $20 billion Hudson River NYC project:
“As of now, it’s terminated. That’s up to me. It’s terminated because the Democrats are so… pic.twitter.com/6IlL17lvva
— Conservative Brief (@ConservBrief) October 20, 2025
In a series of pointed remarks, Karoline Leavitt argued that the shutdown—and its impact on national security operations—was entirely avoidable, placing blame on what she called a partisan push to block critical DHS funding measures.
The government shutdown has caused thousands of “non-essential” federal workers to be placed on furlough. Workers deemed “essential” such as TSA agents, have been forced to work without pay. While these workers will eventually be fully reimbursed, that does not help them cover the cost of food, gas to get to work, child care, and rent, mortgage, or utilities payments now. Karoline Leavitt highlighted those consequences in stark terms.
“This shutdown puts our border security, counterterrorism efforts, and disaster response at risk,” Karoline Leavitt said in remarks shared by the White House. “The men and women of DHS should never be forced to work without pay because of political games in Washington.”
Leavitt specifically criticized a Democratic-backed proposal, arguing it failed to adequately support DHS operations at a time when the agency faces mounting challenges.
“The proposal put forward by Democrats falls short of what is needed to secure our homeland,” she said. “It ignores the reality on the ground and prioritizes politics over public safety.”
The comments by Karoline Leavitt mirror the overall Trump administration messaging that maintaining DHS funding is a non-negotiable priority, citing ongoing concerns about border crossings and global instability.
“Funding DHS is not optional,” Karoline Leavitt continued. “It is a basic responsibility of the federal government to protect its citizens.”
The White House Press Secretary also pushed back on allegations by Democrats that Republicans share responsibility for the government shutdown. Leavitt insists the administration had supported measures to keep the government open while at the same time ensuring robust DHS funding.
“We have been clear from the beginning—keep the government open and fully fund DHS,” Karoline Leavitt said. “That is exactly what the American people expect.”
“The American people deserve better than this. Congress must come together, end this shutdown and fully fund the Department of Homeland Security,” Leavitt said.
Absent a deal, federal agencies – including DHS – are operating under government shutdown conditions. What happens next could have significant implications for national security and the rest of government in the coming days.
