Gov. Pritzker Demands Donald Trump Come to Negotiating Table to Avoid Government Shutdown and Protect Healthcare
Governor warns that shutdown would have a devastating impact on the economy, disrupt benefits, and furlough workers
September 24, 2025
CHICAGO – With a week to go until a federal government shutdown, Governor JB Pritzker is calling upon President Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans to meet with Democratic leadership to negotiate a deal that extends government funding while protecting healthcare access and lowering costs. Democrats have been willing to find common ground around healthcare and avoid a shutdown, while President Trump has cancelled meetings, instructed Congressional Republicans to leave town, and told leadership “Don’t even bother dealing with them.”
“For a guy who claims to understand ‘The Art of the Deal,’ Donald Trump is awfully scared of negotiating one,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Trump and Congressional Republicans control both chambers of Congress and the White House. But they’d rather shut down the government, tank the economy, and cut healthcare benefits than do their jobs.”
Governor Pritzker supports the good faith effort of Congressional Democrats to avoid a shutdown by supporting a funding bill that reverses cuts to Medicaid and extends the ACA Tax Credits to avoid 93% increases in monthly health insurance payments for 22 million Americans.
After visiting Joliet Junior College yesterday to tout the new Center for Student Wellness and Support, Gov. Pritzker released a video calling on Trump to come to the negotiating table, keep the government open, and protect healthcare.
Government shutdowns cause major disruptions to federal workers, benefit programs, and the wider economy. That could potentially include:
- 3 million federal workers being furloughed, including 45,000 in Illinois.
- 1.3 million active-duty service members forced to go without pay.
- Hundreds of millions in potential cost to taxpayers through backpay, administrative costs, lost revenue, and late payment fees.
- $3 billion permanently lost from the economy in lost GDP, as happened during the 2019 shutdown.
- Millions of dollars in assistance to farmers paused through the Agriculture Risk and Price Loss Coverage programs, food safety programs, and Farm Service Agency Loans.
- $2 billion in small business loans delayed.
- $13 billion in federal contracts halted, $3 billion of which went to small businesses.
During his first term, President Trump presided over two separate government shutdowns – including the longest shutdown in American history. Governor Pritzker has successfully negotiated and passed seven consecutive balanced budgets in the State of Illinois.
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