Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana said Monday that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer will eventually have to find a way to end the ongoing government shutdown, which entered another week after Democrats rejected the latest Republican spending proposal.

Appearing on Fox Business’ Kudlow, Kennedy told host Larry Kudlow that the shutdown is not primarily about disagreements over policy, but rather about internal Democratic politics.

“It will end eventually, when Senator Schumer goes to six or eight of his members and Democrats and says, ‘Do me a favor. Vote to open it back up. I may have to criticize you. I’m not going to vote with you, but I need a way out of this,’” Kennedy said.

“I need an offer. And that’s what’s going to happen. But he’s got to be careful because if it looks contrived, he’s boning. And he can’t look like he’s having a mutiny. But that’s how we’ll open back.”

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Kennedy said Schumer is delaying a resolution to appease what he described as the “moon wing” of the Democratic Party, which he said has taken control of the caucus.

“I know him. Well, this shutdown is not about policy. It’s about politics,” Kennedy said.

“And Senator Schumer, this is what’s going on. He is trying to get the moon wing, the socialist wing of the Democratic Party, which is in control, to love him. And they will never love him. They won’t.”

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Kennedy added that Schumer would be better served by taking a more pragmatic approach to reopening the government.

“He’d be better off doing what he did back in March and just calling it like he saw it and keeping government open,” Kennedy said.

“Because what he’s saying, we’re going to keep government shut down until you Republicans and President Trump give the Democrats $1.5 trillion, and they’re going to tell us how to spend it.”

The senator’s remarks come after Democrats blocked the Republican-backed continuing resolution early Wednesday morning.

The bill sought to fund the government temporarily while negotiations continued on broader spending issues. Schumer and most Senate Democrats opposed the measure, calling it insufficient and demanding additional funding for programs previously cut from the budget.

Kennedy, speaking on the Senate floor Friday, accused Democrats of using the shutdown as leverage to restore what he called wasteful foreign spending provisions.

“This shutdown is being driven by people who want money for things that have nothing to do with the American people,” Kennedy said.

He argued that several controversial funding items had already been removed during earlier negotiations but that far-left members of the Democratic caucus were demanding they be reinstated.

Among the items Kennedy listed were millions of dollars for overseas LGBTQ programs, international sex worker workshops, and electric buses in Rwanda.

He also cited proposed funding for Palestinian media programs, pride parades abroad, and sterilization efforts in foreign countries.

“These are the kinds of things that American taxpayers shouldn’t be paying for,” Kennedy said.

“We had already taken them out, but now the other side is saying, ‘Put them back in or the government stays closed.’”

The Senate adjourned late Monday with no agreement in place to end the shutdown, which began after the expiration of federal funding last week.

Negotiations are expected to continue through the week as lawmakers seek a path forward before larger impacts are felt across federal agencies.

Kennedy said he expects Schumer to eventually concede privately and find a procedural way out of the impasse.

“He’ll get a few of his members to give him an escape hatch,” Kennedy said.

“He knows it has to end — the only question is how much damage he’ll let his party take before it does.”

BREAKING: As he wrapped up his floor speech, Senator John Kennedy LET LOOSE on the Democrats for being CRAZY enough to demand over 1.5 TRILLION in additional spending.

This is FILLED with TRUTH NUKES!

Well worth the watch, Kennedy definitely has a way with words! pic.twitter.com/wbEz1YH907

— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) October 3, 2025

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