Washington (AP) – President Donald Trump has been seized Government closure As an opportunity to reconstruct federal workers by threatening them and punish detractors. Mass fired by workers and proposes “irreversible” reductions in programs that are important to Democrats.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said layoffs are “immediate” rather than simply attacking employees, rather than simply taking on employees that usually occur during funding lapses. The Administration announced it Holds about $18 billion New York infrastructure funding subway and Hudson Tunnel Project – in the home of the US home and the Senate Democratic leader.
Trump marvels at the handiwork of his Budget Director.
“He can trim your budget to a level you couldn’t otherwise,” the president said earlier in the week. OMB Director Las Vought, Who was the lead architect? Project 2025 A conservative policy book.
“So they’re taking risks by closure,” Trump said at an event at the White House.
Thursday is the second day of the shutdown and the dial is already high. The aggressive approach from the Trump administration is something certain lawmakers and budget observers feared if Congress, which is responsible for passing legislation funding, failed to do its job and waived control over the White House.
Vought reported a layoff that began the next day or the second day in a personal conference call with House GOP lawmakers Wednesday afternoon. It’s an extension of Government Efficiency Bureau He works under Elon Musk, who slashed the federal government at the beginning of the year.
“All of these are things the Trump administration has been doing since January 20th,” the House said. Hakeem Jeffries, the leader of the Democratic Partyreferring to the first day of president’s inauguration. “The cruelty is the key.”
With no easy endgames at hand, the standoffs drag deep into October. Non-partisan Congressional Budget Bureau On certain days during the closure, approximately 750,000 federal workers estimate that $400 million in wages will be lost every day on any given day.
Economic impacts can ripple over the wider economy. Past closures “have reduced the decline in aggregate private sector demand for goods and services, pushing down GDP,” the CBO said.
“Federal spending on goods and services has resulted in losses in private income, further reducing the demand for other goods and services in the economy,” he said. Overall, the CBO said there was a “damping economic production,” but that turned it around once people returned to work.
“The longer this is, the more pain you get,” he said. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-LA.“Because when the government is shut down, that’s inevitable.”
Trump and Congressional leaders are not expected to meet again anytime soon. Congress is not scheduled for Thursday, along with the senators on Friday, in compliance with the Jewish Holy Day. The house is scheduled to resume sessions next week.
Democrats are holding their demands quickly Maintain healthcare fundingand refuses to back up the bill that does not, warning Prices are rising sharply for millions of Americans Nationwide. The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that premiums will be more than doubled for those who purchase insurance policies through affordable care law exchanges.
Republicans have opened the door to negotiating healthcare issues, but GOP leaders say that they can wait as subsidies that help people buy private insurance don’t expire until the end of the year.
“We want to have a conversation about ensuring that Americans continue to have access to healthcare.” Vice President JD Vance He said at the White House on Wednesday.
With Congress stagnant, the Trump administration has used the new lever to decide how to shape the federal government.
The Trump administration can use funds to pay the Department of Defense and Homeland Security workers from what is commonly called “One big beautiful bill” According to the CBO, this was signed to the law this summer.
This will not disrupt the agenda for Trump’s immigration enforcement and massive deportation. However, employees who continue to work at many other institutions must wait for the government to resume before they can earn their salaries.
Already from the Budget Office, Vought has challenged Congressional powers this year. Canceling clawback and funds The lawmakers had already approved — Head Start, Clean Energy Infrastructure Project, Foreign Aid, Public Radio and Television.
The Government’s Accountability Office has issued a series of rare notices that the administration’s actions violate the law. However, the Supreme Court, which ruled late last week, allowed the so-called “pocket withdrawal” of nearly $5 billion in foreign aid.
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Associated Press authors Stephen Groves, Joey Cappelletti, Matt Brown, Kevin Freking and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.
