Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) on Tuesday’s “Ingraham Angle” said Republicans are unified in a way we have not seen in our lifetime, while Democrats are stuck on fighting President Trump.

LAURA INGRAHAM, FOX NEWS HOST: Here to break it all down, Victor Davis Hanson, Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, and Missouri Senator Eric Schmitt. Senator, these polls, I mean, they’re looking good for Republicans. And again, we always take them with a grain of salt. But the trend seems to be turning against Democrats in this shutdown game. Is there any buyer’s remorse from a Tim Kaine or any of the somewhat more reasonable Democrats? SEN. ERIC SCHMITT (R-MO): Well, we’re going to find out. I think privately they understand that by us having a clean CR here, basically we’re not asking for any partisan riders. Just reopen the government, allow us to do appropriations bills. The Democrats are opposing that. Even the liberal media has a hard time covering for them. So I think they know they’re on the wrong side of this issue, but I’m telling you, Laura, they’re just still stuck in this place where it’s fight Trump. It’s the only play they have in the playbook. And they can’t stand that he’s on the world stage and winning and Democrats in Washington are whining. That’s it. Like, that’s what’s going on. He’s bringing, President Trump is going to deliver essentially $ 15 trillion worth of new investment, manufacturing jobs, respect on the world stage, using all the leverage we have to actually get good deals for the American people, which are tariffs. That policy is bringing in revenue, getting better deals. And so the Democrats can’t stand the success. All they know is to whine about Trump, but it didn’t work from before. And I don’t think it’s going to work now either. INGRAHAM: Victor, why are they doing this? I mean, someone is giving them terrible advice and these people make millions and millions of dollars, regardless of how many times they lose elections. But why do you think this is the path they’re taking? VICTOR DAVIS HANSON: I guess the answer is what else can they do? I mean, most of the major foreign policy issues, Trump has almost solved. There’s no Iranian threat, nuclear threat. There’s a ceasefire in the Middle East. He’s addressing the Ukrainian problem. We got Eric mentioned all this foreign investment. We’ve got the stock market at record levels, good GDP, good inflation news. Unemployment’s not too bad. He’s, the border is an 80-20 issue. So is crime, so is energy. And so their reaction is, well, he’s still not, you know, 55% popularity, so he must be doing something right. Let’s double down on F-bombs. Let’s get back to destroying the new ballroom if we take power. Let’s get into smutty videos or shut down the government. That’s all they have. And they feel that it’s working because any other president with a fair media would be 55, 60 points approval, but he’s not. And they think that this is working, that it caused so much chaos that the collateral damage will bring Trump down to their level. INGRAHAM: So Senator Schmitt, there is air traffic controller concern because they’re not being paid. And then sick outs, that’s a concern. SNAP benefits, 40 million Americans are not going to get those. A lot of them are non-citizens, but, or foreigners are not going to get their SNAP benefits. But nevertheless, this is real pain for real people and government employees not getting paid either. Democrats think they have this Damocles sword hanging over the Republicans’ heads, but I don’t think Republicans should move an inch on this issue. Reopen the government and reopen it now. SCHMITT: I agree. And look, you look at the string of success. Republicans are unified in a way I don’t think we’ve seen in our lifetime because you have a president that’s willing to lead, delivered a historic comeback on very clearly articulated priorities, the border, restoring our respect on the world stage. So whether it was on the confirmation fights, the one big beautiful bill, rescissions, tranche, getting more of these conferees across the finish line, we’ve been united. We’re not changing tactics here because we’re right. We just want to reopen the government. The Democrats have to own all of this. Everything that’s happened since the shutdown began, it’s on them. We just need five more Democrats to come across and say, you know what? It’s ridiculous that people should have to work for free, which is what we’re asking people like law enforcement, ICE agents, military men and women. This is on the Democrats. It’s ridiculous. This whole thing is stupid. They know it, I think deep down, but all they know is to fight Trump and orange man bad in this ridiculous Trump derangement syndrome that’s gone on for 10 years now.

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