Overview
- Jack Criss Jr., a Dallas air traffic controller, told the panel he drives for DoorDash to cover his daughter’s tuition during the shutdown.
- Stephen A. Smith condemned Washington’s disconnect and rising debt before leaving the stage in frustration, then returned minutes later.
- The NewsNation event at the Kennedy Center was moderated by Chris Cuomo and featured Reps. Jim Jordan, Ro Khanna and Madeleine Dean with pundit Bill O’Reilly.
- Lawmakers traded blame over the funding lapse without offering a clear timeline for restoring pay to federal employees.
- Coverage highlighted the exchange as a stark example of the shutdown’s human impact, with air safety personnel working without full pay.