New Delhi, Oct. 18 -- As the US government shutdown stretched into its 18th day, President Donald Trump on Friday, October 17, blamed Democrats for the ongoing impasse, calling it a "Democrat shutdown," specifically targeting New York Senator Chuck Schumer.

"It's a Democrat shutdown. It's a Schumer shutdown because his career has failed, and it's over," Trump said, renewing his attacks on Democratic leadership for refusing to pass the funding measures sought by his administration to end the shutdown.

The prolonged standoff between the Democrats and the Republicans has disrupted key government services and left hundreds of thousands of federal workers unpaid, as both parties continue to trade blame over the budget deadlock. While the Rep...