Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., Vice President JD Vance and others, listen to President Donald Trump speak as they attend a breakfast with other Republicans in the State Dining Room of the White House on Tuesday in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at Senate Republicans to end the government shutdown, now the longest ever at 36 days, blaming the impasse for the party’s defeat in closely-watched elections while Democrats, emboldened by their off-year victories, dug in for a fight.

Trump, whose first term at the White House set the previous government shutdown record, said this one was a “big factor, negative” in Tuesday’s races. He revived his demands for Republicans to end the Senate filibuster as a way to reopen government — something senators have refused to do.

At the same time, Democrats hardened their resolve after sweeping governor’s races in Virginia and New Jersey and the mayor’s race in New York. The Democratic leaders said Trump needs to get serious about negotiating an end to the stalemate and resolve the problem of expiring health care subsidies that are central to the debate.

“The election results ought to send a much needed bolt of lightning to Donald Trump that he should meet with us to end this crisis,” said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.

Now into a sixth week, the shutdown and its impacts have deepened nationwide. The federal closures are disrupting the lives of millions of Americans with program cuts, flight delays and workers scrambling to make do without paychecks. Officials have warned of a worsening climate to come, including chaos in the skies. The Federal Aviation Administration said it will reduce air traffic starting Friday in major markets.

Expectations were high that the logjam would break once results were tallied in elections that were widely watched as a gauge of voter sentiment over Trump’s second term.

But Trump’s demands on Wednesday that Republican senators get rid of the filibuster as a way to end the shutdown complicated an already difficult situation. And Democrats facing divisions within their progressive and moderate ranks said the results showed that voters will reward them for the fight.

“It’s time for Republicans to do what they have to do, and that’s terminate the filibuster,” Trump said during a breakfast meeting Wednesday with GOP senators at the White House.

Trump told the GOP senators they could bring the shutdown to a close by ending the Senate rule, which requires a 60-vote threshold for advancing most legislation, and steamroll the Democratic minority. Republicans now hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, and Democrats have been able to block legislation that would fund the government, having voted more than a dozen times against.

That push from Trump is likely to go unheeded by Republican senators — Senate Majority Leader John Thune said later changing the filibuster does not have support and is “not happening” — but it could spur them to deal with the Democrats.

Shutdown record

Trump’s approach to the shutdown stands in marked contrast to his first term, when the government was partially closed for 35 days over his demands for money to build the U.S.-Mexico border wall. At that time, he met publicly and negotiated with congressional leaders. Unable to secure the money, he relented in 2019.

This time, Trump stayed out of the shutdown debate, instead keeping a robust schedule of global travel and events, including at his private Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. And it’s not just Trump declining to engage in talks. The congressional leaders are at a standoff, and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., sent lawmakers home in September after they approved their own funding bill, refusing further negotiations.

A “sad landmark,” Johnson said at a news conference Wednesday about the record shutdown.

The speaker dismissed his party’s election losses and said Democrats need to drop their demands on health care until after the government reopens.

While talks have intensified among a loose coalition of centrist senators trying to negotiate an end to the shutdown, Democrats are also doubtful that any deal struck with the Republicans will be upheld unless Trump also agrees.

The Democrats said Trump’s postelection unease with the shutdown should spark talks. But they also question whether the Republican president will keep his word, particularly after the administration restricted SNAP food aid despite court orders to ensure funds are available to prevent hunger.

A substantial number of senators want some resolution to the standoff over the funding for the Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire at year’s end.

With insurance premium notices being sent, millions of people are experiencing sticker shock on skyrocketing prices. The loss of enhanced federal subsidies, which were put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic and come in the form of tax credits, are expected to leave many people unable to buy health insurance.