Durbin says Biden shouldn’t negotiate with Republicans on debt ceiling

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) on Sunday said President Biden should “absolutely not” negotiate with Republicans on raising the debt ceiling as lawmakers head into a fight over whether to increase the country’s borrowing limit.

“Those who are posing for holy pictures as budget balancers… should note one important fact: almost 25 percent of all of the national debt accumulated over the history of the United States… was accumulated during the four years of Donald Trump,” Durbin told CNN’s “State of the Union” anchor Dana Bash.

The U.S. reached its technical borrowing limit of around $31.4 trillion last week, but the Treasury has said it will be able to enact “extraordinary measures” to be able to pay the government’s bills until around June. Republicans have said they want concessions on spending cuts from the White House and Democrats before agreeing to any extension of the debt ceiling. The White House has said it will not negotiate on the issue.

“When (Republicans) enacted tax cuts for the wealthiest people of America during the Trump administration, they added dramatically to the national debt,” Durbin said. “Having done that, they need to face the responsibility of paying for it. That is what the debt limit is about.”

Durbin warned that the U.S. risks causing a recession if lawmakers do not find a resolution to the debt limit saga.

“We run the very risk of a recession in this economy,” Durbin said. “Millions of Americans out of work and interest rates going even higher.”

“We shouldn’t play games with the national debt,” Durbin said.

Congressional Democrats have urged for a quick passing of legislation to increase the debt limit.

When asked by host Dana Bash whether Biden should negotiate with Republicans on the debt ceiling, Durbin responded: “No, absolutely not.”