Senate Dems Vote to Hand Trump the Keys After Months of Fundraising Off Resistance

This evening, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and nine other Democrats and Democrat-aligned senators voted with Republicans to advance a continuing resolution that empowers the Trump administration and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to keep ignoring Congress and treating government funding like a slush fund subject to their whims. 

The crucial vote, on a cloture motion, came after Senate Democrats had fundraised for months off their plans to “stop” Trump and Musk. Since President Trump’s inauguration, the Senate Democrats’ campaign arm has been urging Democratic voters to sign petitions and send donations to help them fight back against Trump and Musk, warning that democracy and freedom are under threat. In ads running on Facebook and other platforms, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) gives the impression that the Democratic caucus is energized and ready to “fire Elon Musk,” as long as they have the support of grassroots Democrats.

One ad running on Meta features the committee’s chair, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, warning that Elon Musk is trying to dismantle the government. “He’s gaining unprecedented power every single day,” the ad reads. “Only a historic groundswell of everyday Americans can stop him.” In another DSCC ad, consultant James Carville says, “Trump is backing Elon Musk’s power trip, threatening federal workers, and issuing executive orders like a dictator. This ain’t normal, and we can’t sit back and let them win!”

Schumer and Gillibrand both voted for cloture on the CR, known formally as the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act FY2025, which received a total of 62 Senate votes in favor. They were joined by Democratic Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.), Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.), Deputy Democratic Conference Secretary Brian Schatz (Hawaii), Maggie Hassan (N.H.), John Fetterman (Pa.), Gary Peters (Mich.), and Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), as well as Independent Sen. Angus King (Maine). The vote allowed Republicans to move the bill towards final passage, which was agreed to shortly after by a vote of 54-46.

The Republican-crafted resolution, which passed the House on Tuesday, extends government funding at current levels for six months, but grants Trump flexibility to redirect funding without congressional oversight.