Trump may cut ‘Democrat agencies’, fire federal workers as US govt shutdown persists
As the US government shutdown approached its third day, President Donald Trump has said he and his budget director will work out which “Democrat Agencies” to cut, suggesting that Republicans should seize the opportunity to “clear out dead wood” as the President refuses to concede to Democrats’ demands of funding healthcare insurance subsidies for illegal residents in the country as part of the budget. “I can’t believe the Radical Left Democrats gave me this unprecedented opportunity,” Trump said in a social media post.
Meanwhile Republicans and Democrats continue to blame each other for failing to keep federal agencies open, as thousands of federal workers remain at home while others work without pay, with some federal attractions closed to visitors and others including the Statue of Liberty, staying open.
Reports say Trump has already frozen federal transit and green-energy funding for Democratic-leaning states, while threatening to fire more federal workers during the shutdown which began on Wednesday due to a partisan standoff in Congress.
While everyday Americans are yet to feel the impact of the shutdown, analysts believe neither side of the divide may budge without pressure from the people.
Trump is however set to meet with Russell Vought, Director of the US Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in order to pick which government activities should be paused and which are essential, and also to determine which federal employees to place on furlough.
Vought had earlier said that the White House had moved to pause or cancel billions of dollars in funding meant for Democratic states, including $18bn (£13.4bn) in infrastructure projects in New York, which is home to both Senator Chuck Schumer and the Democratic leader of the House of Representatives, Hakeem Jeffries.
Both sides are expected to come together to pass the legislation if the government is to reopen. Republicans need eight Democrat senators to vote with them as three Democrats already joined with Republicans on the last failed vote in the Senate on Wednesday.
As lawmakers meet again on Friday afternoon to resolve the impasse with a vote in the Senate, Republicans have remained strong on funding measures without the healthcare subsidy condition for illegals attached by Democrats.
