During a portion of an interview aired on Thursday’s “PBS NewsHour,” Democratic Virginia gubernatorial candidate former Rep. Abigail Spanberger responded to the prospect of working with President Donald Trump on job creation by saying that “you don’t work with the arsonist who burns down the house to rebuild it.”

“PBS NewsHour” Correspondent Liz Landers asked, “You positioned yourself as a consensus builder, someone who works across the aisle. Would you work with President Trump on areas like job creation?

Spanberger answered, “I think that you don’t work with the arsonist who burns down the house to rebuild it. And, in this particular case, the individual who’s responsible for an absolute attack on the federal workforce is not the right person to help rebuild our economy.”

📰 US GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN HITS DAY 30: Trump Demands Senate Nix ‘Filibuster’ Rule Amid Escalating Crisis

WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the partial U.S. federal government shutdown drags into its 30th day, paralyzing agencies and costing the economy billions, President Donald Trump has called for the immediate abolishment of the Senate’s “filibuster” rule, urging Republicans to employ the “Nuclear Option” to bypass Democratic opposition.

The shutdown, which began on October 1 over a failure to pass the 2026 fiscal year budget, shows no signs of resolution, prompting the President’s aggressive demand for legislative reform.

The Push to Eliminate the Filibuster

In a fiery social media post on October 30, President Trump called on the GOP to seize the moment, declaring: “It is time for the Republicans to play their ‘Trump Card,’ and implement the so-called Nuclear Option – ELIMINATE THE FILIBUSTER, and do it NOW!”

The filibuster is a procedural rule that allows senators to indefinitely delay or block a vote on legislation, effectively requiring a 60-vote supermajority to pass most bills. Though Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, they are unable to meet the 60-vote threshold, leaving them stymied by the Democratic minority.

Trump argued that maintaining the filibuster has led to “paralyzing government.”

“We are in power now, and if we do what needs to be done, this ridiculous, country-destroying shutdown will end immediately,” he wrote, shifting blame for the legislative deadlock entirely onto the procedural rule and the Democrats.

Gridlock Threatens Thanksgiving Chaos

The financial and operational fallout from the prolonged closure has been severe.

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates the shutdown could inflict $7 billion to $14 billion in economic losses, potentially reducing the fourth-quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth by approximately 2% due to disrupted government spending.

Crucially, an estimated 750,000 federal employees have been furloughed or are currently working without pay, including essential personnel.

Vice President JD Vance warned on October 30 that the nation’s air travel system is on the brink of chaos just ahead of the busy Thanksgiving holiday season if the closure is not swiftly resolved. The warning follows reports that the shutdown is forcing:

• 13,000 air traffic controllers
• 50,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents

to work without compensation. This staff shortage has exacerbated existing personnel deficits, reportedly causing the rate of flight delays to jump from 5% to between 24% and 44% in recent days.

While the Trump administration has ensured pay for the military, federal police, and immigration enforcement staff, countless other employees, from scientists to park rangers, remain unpaid, deepening the crisis for federal workers across the country.

Meanwhile, Senate Republicans are urging Democrats to pass a short-term funding bill through November 21, while Democrats insist on negotiating for the extension of expiring federal tax credits for citizens. The legislative impasse continues with no immediate sign of a breakthrough.