He said the shutdown could be an opportunity to "clear out dead wood", giving no hint of concessions to Democrats.

Senate Democrats voted down a Republican bill to keep funding the government, putting it on a near certain path to a shutdown. Key US politics stories from 30 September 2025

“Absolutely there are risks,” said Third Way's Jim Kessler. "The fight is the victory. They want a fight. And they're going to get one."