Politics
Former Trump Spokesman Says Republicans ‘Should Be Embarrassed’
By Jake Beardslee · November 5, 2025
Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer criticized Senate Republicans this week, saying they should be “embarrassed” over what he described as their weak response to Democrats blocking a bill that would have guaranteed pay for U.S. troops during the ongoing government shutdown.
Speaking on The Morning Meeting with co-hosts Mark Halperin and Dan Turrentine, Spicer accused GOP senators of political incompetence. “Senate Republicans should be embarrassed by how bad they’re messaging this,” Spicer said. “They should have been out on the steps last night with military members and Border Patrol. … The idea that they voted and bolted is an embarrassment to the Republican Party.”
The legislation in question, the Shutdown Fairness Act of 2025, was introduced by Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) but failed in a 54–45 vote, falling short of the 60 votes needed to advance. The bill sought to guarantee pay for active-duty service members, air traffic controllers, TSA agents, Border Patrol officers, ICE agents, and national park rangers during the shutdown.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) dismissed the bill as a political ploy to expand presidential authority under Donald Trump. “We will not give Donald Trump a license to play politics with people’s livelihoods,” Schumer said on the Senate floor. Democrats argued the measure would have given budget director Russell Vought excessive power to determine which federal agencies stayed open, bypassing Congress’ control over federal spending.
Spicer, who served as Trump’s first White House press secretary, said Republicans squandered a chance to show solidarity with federal workers and the military. “What [Senate Republicans] did last night, how they’re messaging this, there’s not another vote — it’s literally the lamest response I’ve ever seen,” he said.
His comments reflected broader frustration among conservatives that GOP leaders have failed to manage the political fallout from the shutdown or present a unified strategy. As the impasse drags on, the party faces intensifying criticism from both Democrats and its own base over its lack of coordination and message discipline.
Spicer’s unusually candid remarks reflect deepening divisions within the Republican Party as it struggles to project leadership amid a prolonged government shutdown. With negotiations at a standstill, Senate Republicans remain under pressure to restore confidence and reassure federal workers and service members facing growing financial uncertainty.