Shutdown Standoff: Trump Demands ‘Clean CR’ As DHS/ICE Pay Shielded; $130M Donor Pays Troops

On Day 26 of the shutdown, President Trump urged Democrats to pass a clean continuing resolution, saying a short extension could ensure pay for air traffic controllers and other federal workers. He framed Democrats’ demands as expanding benefits for noncitizens and lauded a $130 million private donation used to cover military payroll. The story dovetails with an accelerating pattern of selective pay protections for DHS law enforcement (CBP, ICE, TSA) during the October 2025 shutdown. It highlights national-level funding and enforcement implications rather than a local event.