Trump demands Republicans shut down government to ‘defund’ his criminal prosecutions

Former President Donald Trump has called on congressional Republicans to let the government shut down in an effort to undermine the criminal proceedings against him.

Despite federal criminal proceedings being exempt from shutdowns, Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, on Wednesday evening, “A very important deadline is approaching at the end of the month,” in reference to the Sept. 30 deadline to pass a funding bill.

“Republicans in Congress can and must defund all aspects of Crooked Joe Biden’s weaponized Government that refuses to close the Border, and treats half the Country as Enemies of the State,” he wrote. “This is also the last chance to defund these political prosecutions against me and other Patriots.”

Trump added: “They failed on the debt limit, but they must not fail now. Use the power of the purse and defend the Country!”

The office of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A government shutdown wouldn’t impede criminal proceedings against Trump. His indictments in New York and Georgia would not be affected, while his federal indictments — for allegedly mishandling classified documents and for his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection — are criminal matters that have been exempted from previous shutdowns.

In 2021, the Justice Department said in a memo that during a shutdown: “Criminal litigation will continue without interruption as an activity essential to the safety of human life and the protection of property.”

The judicial branch wouldn’t face disruption either, with the department’s past statements indicating that it can operate for weeks even in the event of a funding lapse.

Trump’s demand comes as House Republicans struggle to agree on a pathway to avert a government shutdown by the end of the month.

Because a shutdown wouldn’t halt criminal proceedings against Trump, some House GOP allies are trying to rein in his prosecutors by inserting provisions in government funding legislation aimed at defunding or limiting law enforcement from investigating the former president, as they claim without evidence that his four indictments are a political hit job against him.