The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s website prominently displays a banner and popup attributing the looming government shutdown to the “Radical Left.”
Screenshot/HUD.gov
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Screenshot/HUD.gov
Internal communications within federal agencies and at least one public-facing government website reveal that the Trump administration is attributing the potential government shutdown to Democratic lawmakers, a move that legal experts warn may breach federal ethics regulations.
On Tuesday, the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s website featured a vivid red banner and popup stating: “The Radical Left are going to shut down the government and inflict massive pain on the American people unless they get their $1.5 trillion wish list of demands. The Trump administration wants to keep the government open for the American people.”
Employees across various federal departments and agencies received emails from the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on the same day. Many shared screenshots with NPR or confirmed the content of these messages, which assert that any interruption in government funding would be “forced by Congressional Democrats.”
The email reads: “President Trump opposes a government shutdown and strongly supports the passage of H.R. 5371, a clean Continuing Resolution to fund the government through November 21, which has already passed the House of Representatives. Unfortunately, Democrats are blocking this resolution in the Senate due to unrelated policy demands. If Congressional Democrats persist in their refusal to pass a clean Continuing Resolution before midnight on September 30, 2025, federal funding will lapse.”
It further states: “The agency has prepared contingency plans to manage an orderly shutdown of operations affected by any funding lapse caused by Congressional Democrats.”
Similar communications were sent to personnel at the Departments of the Interior, Commerce, Labor, State, Treasury, Health and Human Services, the Social Security Administration, the General Services Administration, the Office of Personnel Management, and the National Labor Relations Board, according to screenshots obtained by NPR.
Although Republicans hold the majority in both chambers of Congress, they require Democratic votes in the Senate to pass any government funding legislation.
The Department of Veterans Affairs also issued a statement using strongly partisan language, blaming “radical liberals in Congress” for potential service disruptions during a shutdown, including the suspension of career counseling and the closure of regional benefits offices.
VA press secretary Pete Kasperowicz declared, “Radical liberals in Congress are attempting to shut down the government to push their extreme agenda of open borders, universal transgender policies, and men competing in women’s sports. If they succeed, critical Veterans care and assistance programs will be halted.”
Despite these claims, veterans’ healthcare services will remain operational, with the VA’s contingency plan indicating that approximately 97% of its workforce will continue working without furloughs.
The use of politically charged language in official federal communications has raised concerns among federal employees and ethics specialists, who warn it may violate the Hatch Act. This law restricts executive branch employees from engaging in partisan political activities while on duty or within federal workplaces.
Michael Fallings, a partner at employment law firm Tully Rinckey, commented, “Such communications from government officials could potentially breach the Hatch Act. While merely mentioning Democrats might not be a violation, explicitly blaming the Democratic Party and referring to the ‘radical left’ could cross the line.”
Donald Sherman, executive director and chief counsel at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a liberal ethics watchdog, added, “Federal employees are required to serve the public impartially, regardless of political affiliation. Although this message may not technically violate the Hatch Act since it doesn’t endorse candidates or elections, it certainly undermines the law’s intent.”
“A government shutdown causes hardship for all Americans, irrespective of political beliefs. Agency leaders should focus on delivering unbiased service rather than politicizing the crisis and assigning blame,” Sherman emphasized.
One federal employee, speaking anonymously due to fear of retaliation, expressed cynicism: “It feels like the Hatch Act is ignored entirely. Nothing seems to matter anymore.”
This starkly partisan rhetoric contrasts with the tone of previous administrations during shutdowns. For example, before the 2013 shutdown that lasted over two weeks, President Obama sent a letter to federal workers thanking them and criticizing Congress for failing to pass a budget, without singling out any party.
Obama wrote, “This shutdown was entirely avoidable. It should not have happened. The House of Representatives can end it immediately by following the Senate’s lead and funding your work without attaching controversial partisan measures.”
While these recent messages were distributed by agency leaders, many indicated they were sent under the direction of the White House.
An email to National Labor Relations Board staff stated, “The Office of Management and Budget has requested that we send the attached message regarding a potential funding lapse.” The NLRB declined to comment.
An Interior Department spokesperson told NPR, “This message was issued following guidance from the Office of Management and Budget and in accordance with their protocols.”
HHS communications director Andrew Nixon said, “The Trump Administration aims to keep the government operational so that HHS, including the CDC, can continue protecting public health. In contrast, Congressional Democrats are threatening a shutdown that would affect millions of Americans. For further inquiries, please contact OMB.”
The Office of Management and Budget did not respond to requests for comment.
The Labor Department’s message was unsigned and sent from a generic email address that does not accept replies, according to an employee who requested anonymity out of concern for retaliation.
At the Social Security Administration, the email was signed by Commissioner Frank Bisignano, a staffer said on condition of anonymity.
“It resembled a political campaign email,” the employee remarked.
Requests for comment from the Departments of Labor, Housing and Urban Development, Commerce, Treasury, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Social Security Administration, the General Services Administration, and the Office of Personnel Management went unanswered.
Federal workers remain anxious amid ongoing funding talks, especially as the White House has threatened to terminate some employees during a shutdown instead of the usual furloughs.
Reporting contributions by NPR’s Quil Lawrence and Tamara Keith.
If you have information about the shutdown or federal government restructuring, please contact the authors. Shannon Bond can be reached at shannonbond.01, Jenna McLaughlin at JennaMcLaughlin.54, and Stephen Fowler at stphnfwlr.25.
