Senators Lisa Murkowski and Rand Paul, both Republicans, called for President Trump's direct engagement to resolve the ongoing government shutdown, with Murkowski stating in the past hour that Trump's involvement "would certainly help" and that "the president was not engaged at the end" in previous shutdowns. Paul suggested Trump form an official commission of three Republicans and three Democrats to find a resolution. Meanwhile, Axios reported this weekend, based on interviews aired, that Democrats Gavin Newsom and Kamala Harris have both indicated they could pursue future White House bids in 2028. During the reporting window, Senator Ruben Gallego also commented on the shutdown, stating that a bill introduced last week to pay federal workers was blocked by Republicans and "was not even given a vote." Gallego also criticized President Trump's actions regarding strikes on boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, calling it "sanctioned murder" and suggesting the Coast Guard should be used for illegal activities instead. Separately, Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon condemned an action by "Greg Bovino" who was filmed "lobbing a tear gas canister into a crowd...deliberately trying to provoke a confrontation" in Chicago. In other developments, Senator Lindsey Graham stated that fentanyl and cocaine have caused more American deaths than terrorist groups, asserting that President Trump "is doing just that" in confronting cartels. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, when asked about the U.S. potentially being at war with Venezuela, deferred to the Secretaries of War and State, stating defense was not part of his portfolio. The U.S. Trade Representative's office announced new agreements with Thailand and Malaysia aimed at lowering non-tariff barriers for American businesses, including for ethanol, medical devices, and agricultural products. Former Vice President Mike Pence's notes from a January 6th call with then-President Trump, where Trump allegedly told Pence, "You'll go down as a wimp," were published in conjunction with Jonathan Karl's book "Retribution." CNN reported this weekend that Republicans are expressing "jitters over health care costs," with Representative Valadao noting potential negative impacts if costs rise under their control during the shutdown. Arnold Schwarzenegger commented on the "growing embrace of Nazis in U.S. politics," stating, "Anyone who idolizes Nazis, it's bad news," and urged Californians to oppose redistricting ballot measures, warning gerrymandering is "spreading like wildfire."
