Trump leaves Democrats stunned, with some willing to work with Republicans

As President Trump works to reshape the federal government, Democrats retreat into a political withdrawal that reflects their impotence in Washington.

Far from outrage, opposition party lawmakers have taken a wait-and-see approach as Mr. Trump attempts to end citizenship rights, end diversity programs in the federal government, dismantle foreign policy alliances and seeking revenge for his political ideas. enemies.

In some cases, Democrats even pretend to work with Republicans.

Many of them voted for the Laken Riley Act, which allows for the deportation of illegal immigrants accused but not yet convicted of crimes. Others volunteered to work with Republicans on a border security bill. And while Democrats oppose the nominations of Pete Hegseth for secretary of defense and Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence, Mr. Trump’s other Cabinet appointees appear poised to be confirmed without much vocal resistance.

It is telling that in the early days of the new Trump administration, the strongest resistance to the president’s policies came not from an elected Democrat but from the bishop of Washington National Cathedral, who directly called for Mr. Trump, during a service, to take pity on him. immigrants and LGBTQ children.

“We’re not trying to win a news cycle anymore,” said Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii, a Democrat who has become an outspoken messenger for his party on social media. “We’re trying to win an argument, and it’s going to take time, patience and discipline.”

A group of 70 progressive House Democrats and six Senate Democrats met at the Capitol on Thursday to try to agree on a single message of opposition to Mr. Trump as he targets myriad constituencies and liberal priorities. The assembled Democrats concluded that the best course of action was to focus on economic concerns, which they said led to the party’s defeats in November.