There’s a sad irony in watching the federal government come to a grinding halt — not because of some unresolvable crisis, but because our politics have turned into a circus. Earlier this month, a shutdown wasn’t inevitable. But President Trump practically locked the door and threw away the key Monday night when he shared an AI deepfake video mocking his main negotiating partners: Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.  

In the deepfake video Trump shared, Schumer sneers that, “nobody likes Democrats anymore” because of “all of our woke trans [BLEEP]” before falsely claiming Democrats want to give undocumented immigrants health care because the party needs “new voters.” Meanwhile, a silent Jeffries stands there in an animated sombrero and handlebar mustache.  

It’s safe to say the video appears to be a reference to the misleading GOP claim that Democrats were threatening to shut down the government unless an agreement can be reached to fund health care for undocumented people.  

Here’s the truth: undocumented immigrants are not eligible for most federally backed health care. Democrats aren’t fighting for that. They’re pushing to preserve Affordable Care Act subsidies that are about to expire — benefits that only apply to citizens and “lawfully present” immigrants. Republicans have been falsely spinning this into a debate about free health care for the undocumented.  

Jeffries clapped back on X with a statement that read: “Bigotry will get you nowhere. Cancel the Cuts. Lower the Cost. Save Healthcare. We are NOT backing down.”  

Later, he turned the tables with a photo of Trump alongside Jeffrey Epstein, captioned simply: “THIS IS REAL.”  

Schumer, never one to mince words, fired his own shot at the president: “If you think your shutdown is a joke, it just proves what we all know: You can’t negotiate. You can only throw tantrums.”  

The bitter stalemate over billions in health care subsidies has now led to the first government funding lapse of Trump’s second administration. And like every shutdown, it’s really a game of chicken — who blinks first, and who takes the blame.  

Normally, the side demanding concessions shoulders the backlash. But this time, Republicans may be boxed in. A Strength in Numbers–Verasight poll found that 34 percent of Americans would blame Republicans in Congress for a shutdown, compared to 23 percent who would blame Democrats. Another 34 percent would blame both sides equally. And even if the shutdown happened because Democrats refused to vote for a GOP bill that excluded restoring health care funding, the numbers barely shift: 35 percent still pointed the finger at Republicans, while only 24 percent blamed Democrats.  

That’s because healthcare is a political landmine for Trump. His administration’s Medicaid cuts are deeply unpopular, and voters haven’t forgotten.  

So while the shutdown may be Trump’s attempt at leverage, it’s already backfiring. Because at the end of the day, Americans don’t see this as a battle over immigration — they see it as another excuse for politicians to play games with their health care. And when the lights go out in Washington, it’s not the politicians who suffer. It’s the people who sent them there.  

Trump thought he could score points with a deepfake. But in the end, the only thing fake here is the idea that voters will forget who pushed us into this mess. 

Lindsey Granger is a News Nation contributor and co-host of The Hill’s commentary show “Rising.” This column is an edited transcription of her on-air commentary.