After a Friday World News Tonight report on the possibility of a government shutdown, ABC might need to rename its network DNC because throughout the segment, host David Muir and White House correspondent Rachel Scott combined to utter the phrase “Democrats say” three times while never once using the equivalent “Republicans say.”
Muir kicked things off by declaring, “We turn next tonight to this potential government shutdown, now just five days away. The White House threatening mass firings of federal workers. Democrats say they're fighting to reverse Medicaid cuts and to keep health insurance premiums from going up for millions. Democrats say the White House has refused to meet. Here's Rachel Scott.”
Scott began by trying to pin the lack of progress on President Trump, “Tonight, President Trump refusing to meet with Democrats to prevent a government shutdown now looming just five days away.”
She then parroted Muir, “Democrats say they're trying to protect Medicaid and prevent health insurance premiums from going up for millions. But Republicans won't budge. The White House instead threatening mass layoffs of federal workers. In past shutdowns, workers were furloughed and returned to their jobs when the government reopened. But now the administration is directing agencies to consider firing employees from programs that are not consistent with the president's priorities.”
Proceeding to triple down on Democratic talking points, Scott tried to explain how, “Democrats call that intimidation, insisting they won't back off their demands that Republicans reverse Medicaid cuts and extend expiring Obamacare subsidies so health insurance premiums don't rise for some 20 million Americans.”
At some point, somebody should’ve pointed out the view from the other side, which is that those subsidies are a Biden-era policy that was supposed to be temporary because they were sold as COVID relief measures.
As it was, Scott continued, “Tonight, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries knocking Trump for spending the day at a golf tournament after refusing to meet with Democrats at the White House. “
After a clip of Jeffries basically repeating what Scott just said, she concluded by echoing what she stated at the beginning, “And again, David, the president had invited congressional Democrats to the White House, then he canceled that meeting. And he does not appear willing to meet with them again at all with the shutdown only five days away, David.”
When Sinclair announced on Friday that it would no longer preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live!, it noted with regret that ABC and Disney had not accepted its recommendation to hire an ombudsman, and a few hours later, this segment proved why such a move is necessary.
Here is a transcript of the September 26 show:
ABC World News Tonight with David Muir
9/26/2025
6:42 PM ET
DAVID MUIR: We turn next tonight to this potential government shutdown, now just five days away. The White House threatening mass firings of federal workers. Democrats say they're fighting to reverse Medicaid cuts and to keep health insurance premiums from going up for millions. Democrats say the White House has refused to meet. Here's Rachel Scott.
RACHEL SCOTT: Tonight, President Trump refusing to meet with Democrats to prevent a government shutdown now looming just five days away.
DONALD TRUMP: If it has to be shut down, it will have to be shut down.
SCOTT: Democrats say they're trying to protect Medicaid and prevent health insurance premiums from going up for millions. But Republicans won't budge. The White House instead threatening mass layoffs of federal workers. In past shutdowns, workers were furloughed and returned to their jobs when the government reopened.
But now the administration is directing agencies to consider firing employees from programs that are not consistent with the president's priorities.
Democrats call that intimidation, insisting they won't back off their demands that Republicans reverse Medicaid cuts and extend expiring Obamacare subsidies so health insurance premiums don't rise for some 20 million Americans.
Tonight, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries knocking Trump for spending the day at a golf tournament after refusing to meet with Democrats at the White House.
HAKEEM JEFFRIES: He doesn't have the time to meet with Democratic leaders to fund the government and address the Republican health care crisis, but Donald Trump right now, as we speak, is at a golf event. It's outrageous.
SCOTT: And again, David, the president had invited congressional Democrats to the White House, then he canceled that meeting. And he does not appear willing to meet with them again at all with the shutdown only five days away, David.