U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., predicted the federal government shutdown would end Sunday, saying “cooler heads are prevailing” after President Donald Trump “gave us a breakthrough” on Saturday.

“I think this madness ends today,” said Graham, chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, on “Sunday Morning Futures” with Maria Bartiromo on the Fox News Channel. “The government will reopen today, we’re not gonna talk about health care until it does.”

“I think the government is gonna open today because cooler heads are prevailing on the Democratic side. Sen. [Jeanne] Shaheen, Sen. [Susan] Collins, Katie Britt and many others, I think we’ll have a breakthrough today.”

Graham continued: “This political terrorism Democrats have been using, shut down airports, people not getting paid, staff benefits going away, it’s backfiring.”

“They want us to do two things by terrorizing the country. Repeal the $1.5 trillion in savings we had from the Big Beautiful Bill making Medicaid more efficient. They want to change the prohibition against illegal getting health care that we had in that bill. And they also want us to continue for another year Obamacare which is the biggest scam on the planet.

“Under Obamacare, insurance companies’ stocks have gone up about 1,000%. Your premiums have doubled. The only winner under Obamacare is insurance companies. They sign people, up, they get paid and these people don’t even make claims; 190,000 people were signed up on Obamacare and didn’t even know it. So it’s a scam for insurance companies, it’s not helping affordability, and Donald Trump gave us a breakthrough yesterday.”

The breakthrough to which Graham was referring is Trump’s declaration on X Saturday to have money sent directly to Americans instead of “money sucking” insurance companies attached to Obamacare.

Trump said: “I am recommending to Senate Republicans that the Hundreds of Billions of Dollars currently being sent to money sucking Insurance Companies in order to save the bad Healthcare provided by ObamaCare, BE SENT DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN PURCHASE THEIR OWN, MUCH BETTER, HEALTHCARE, and have money left over.

“In other words, take from the BIG, BAD Insurance Companies, give it to the people, and terminate, per Dollar spent, the worst Healthcare anywhere in the World, ObamaCare. Unrelated, we must still terminate the Filibuster!

On Sunday morning, the president followed up with additional lengthy messages about the situation, saying: “I am sorry that the American People are being terrorized by Democrats who have decided to shut the Government down to make me and other Republicans continue ObamaCare subsidies, which have been a windfall for Health Insurance Companies, and a DISASTER for the American People.

“The largest Health Insurance Companies have seen their Stock Prices soar (Some over 1000%!) since the passage of ObamaCare. Meanwhile, Americans’ Premiums have more than DOUBLED, contrary to President Obama’s promise. I believe that the money should go directly to THE PEOPLE to purchase better Healthcare, and create competition.

“This enrichment of Health Insurance companies must stop. It is long past time to lower Premiums, not enrich Insurance Companies. I stand ready to work with both Parties to solve this problem once the Government is open. Stop terrorizing the American People. Stop pushing failed policies!”

Trump continued: “Democrats claim to be working for ‘the little guy,’ and driving down your Health Insurance, but the OBAMACARE SCAM goes STRAIGHT TO THEIR BEST FRIENDS IN THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY. THEY ARE MAKING A ‘KILLING,’ while Health Coverage only gets WORSE.

“If Democrats get their way again, they’re in for another HUGE Payday at the expense of the American People. NO DEAL! Republicans should give money DIRECTLY to your personal HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS that I expanded in our GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”