Democratic leaders have squarely placed responsibility on Republicans, accusing them of refusing to protect Americans from rising health care costs. Former Vice President Kamala Harris, in a post on X Tuesday night, said, “ Let me be clear: Republicans are in charge of the White House, House, and Senate. Republicans, however, pushed back strongly, insisting Democrats were to blame. At the White House, President Donald Trump downplayed the crisis, insisting “positive things” could emerge from the shutdown. He hinted at retaliatory actions against Democrats, declaring: “We can do things during the shutdown that are irreversible, that are bad for them and irreversible by them.