GOP, Dems spar over shutdown, violence, ICE arrests in town hall

Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., said he can “respect a liberal,” calling Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., “my friendly neighborhood Marxist.” He said Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., is “as far left as you can be” but noted they once raised the speed limit together.

TPUSA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet said the alternative Super Bowl halftime show was “memed” into existence. The official 2026 halftime show will feature Bad Bunny. Kolvet added that with Kirk’s memorial, many people were streaming the service and gospel music and organizers felt audiences appreciated it.

TPUSA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet said a small segment of the Democratic Party glorifies political violence, citing the death of Charlie Kirk. Political podcaster Adam Mockler of MeidasTouch pointed to a study showing most political violence comes from the right, though he said incidents from the left have risen this year.

Bill O’Reilly said there’s a difference between “revenge” and “retribution,” calling retribution righteous and revenge not. He accused former FBI Director James Comey of corruption and added that if he were president and Comey had cost his family $150 million, “I’m going to get that SOB,” saying he would have grounds to pursue him.

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said prosecutions of Trump’s opponents should “apply the facts to the law, and it’s that simple,” whether examining James Comey, Letitia James or John Bolton. He added, “What I know is Jim Comey is where it all started.”

Stephen A. Smith said Washington doesn’t understand how frustrated people really are by the shutdown. Pointing to Congress members on stage, he said, “Everybody up here is getting paid,” while a man working extra DoorDash to pay for his daughter’s tuition as a traffic controller isn’t receiving a paycheck because of the government shutdown. “The debt is high. A government shutdown is happening right now, and the only person not getting a check is him,” Smith said.

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., told Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is too ineffective to shut down the government, asking, “Does anyone believe that the Democrats are actually running things?”

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., asked why every member of Congress isn’t locked in the Capitol until a deal is reached, criticizing House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., for shutting down Congress and refusing to vote on releasing the Epstein files.

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Pa., join the NewsNation Town Hall to discuss the government shutdown and what can be done to end the stoppage. Jordan says, “Talk about compromising the House, we (Republicans) passed a bill that funds the government at the level the Democrats wanted.” Dean argues Democrats are ready and willing to find common ground for a deal. “You (Republicans) have a responsibility to govern. You have the trifecta. You’re failing to govern,” Dean says.

Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Pa., said Democrats are in Congress and want to keep the government open, while Republicans “haven’t been in town for weeks.” She added, “This is about health care; talk to your constituents.”

Former Senator Joe Manchin said the government shutdown stems from a lack of personal connections in Congress. “How can you work together if you don’t know anybody?” he asked, pointing out how rules governing the legislative body have changed.

He called the shutdown “something that should never happen” and suggested a simple solution: members of Congress shouldn’t leave for breakfast, lunch or dinner until a deal is reached.

Bill O’Reilly asked Tom Homan why Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is so opposed to ICE. Homan said, “They hate Trump more than they love the residents of Illinois or Chicago. Their responsibility is the safety of their community, so why are they not standing with the men and women of ICE?”

Stephen A. Smith said that former President Obama deported more people than Trump and asked why the situation feels more chaotic now. Tom Homan said the difference is that “fewer people were dying from drugs and fentanyl” under previous administrations, and that a secure border saves lives.

When Stephen A. Smith asked about ICE officers wearing masks on the job, Border czar Tom Homan said he doesn’t “particularly like the masks,” but said they’re necessary for safety. “Name a law enforcement agency whose families have been doxed,” he said. “The masks protect their families. They’re protecting themselves. I wish there was no need for them.”

When a Chicago woman questioned why ICE arrests appear so aggressive, Border czar Tom Homan said attacks on ICE officers have risen by 1,000%, with bounties of up to $50,000 to kill an agent. “They have to protect themselves and take more precautions,” he said. Homan added that if city leaders want fewer ICE agents in Chicago, they should “arrest the bad guys and keep them in jail,” calling claims of being a “welcoming community” an excuse. “ICE has made Chicago safer,” he said.

Border czar Tom Homan defended ICE, saying agents are “just doing their jobs” and enforcing the laws set by Congress. He said nearly 70% of those arrested by ICE are public safety or national security threats, while the remaining 30% are collateral arrests. “Our job is the removal of these gang members,” Homan said.

Border czar Tom Homan said he has faced “hit pieces” since joining the administration and that he recused himself from all contracts while in government. “I took a huge pay cut to serve my nation,” Homan said.

Sen. John Fetterman said the current government shutdown is “what the Democratic Party wants to do,” but he refuses to support it, saying he puts “country before party.” He called the move wrong for the nation during a period of chaos and said he would rather have a discussion about extending health care tax credits, which he said were designed by Democrats to expire at the end of the year.

Sen. John Fetterman called Donald Trump a “hero” for persuading Hamas to release all the hostages. When Bill O’Reilly asked if Vice President Kamala Harris could have done the same, Fetterman said it’s hard to tell since “she’s not president.” Stephen A. Smith responded that he believes Harris would not have been able to.

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., said he is one of only two Democrats voting to keep the government open, arguing, “you don’t hold the government hostage.”

Fetterman defended his party affiliation despite supporting Israel, backing strong defense aid for Ukraine and opposing excessive spending. He said he believes in “calling balls and strikes” and choosing truth, adding that he loves people who voted for Donald Trump, saying “they are not fascists,” and that extreme rhetoric can lead to tragedies such as Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

Fetterman also told Stephen A. Smith that some Democratic colleagues are angry with him for being fully supportive of Israel.

NewsNation Washington correspondent Joe Khalil is live from The Kennedy Center for a Town Hall with Chris Cuomo, Bill O’Reilly and Stephen A. Smith at 8p/7c. Khalil introduces the guests, and says what makes the event unique is that “you’re going to hear from virtually every piece of the political spectrum.”