The White House has softened President Donald Trump’s earlier assertion that federal employees are currently being dismissed amid the ongoing U.S. government shutdown.
This clarification came on Monday as the shutdown entered its sixth day, with no resolution in sight as Republicans and Democrats remain deadlocked over a budget to finance various government departments and services.
Democrats have taken a firm stance during negotiations, demanding the reversal of recent healthcare funding cuts embedded in tax legislation passed by Republicans.
Both parties continue to blame each other for the stalemate, while the Trump administration has taken the unusual step of threatening permanent layoffs-not just furloughs-for some of the approximately 750,000 federal workers impacted by the shutdown.
On Sunday, President Trump implied that these layoffs were “happening right now,” placing responsibility on Democrats for the job losses.
However, on Monday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified that the President was referring to the “hundreds of thousands of federal employees who have been furloughed,” not yet terminated, due to the shutdown.
She added that “the Office of Management and Budget is actively collaborating with agencies to determine who may unfortunately face layoffs if the shutdown persists.”
As paychecks for hundreds of thousands of government workers were set to be withheld starting Friday, lawmakers acknowledged minimal progress in negotiations.
The U.S. Senate planned another series of unlikely votes late Monday aimed at funding the government.
Meanwhile, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson instructed his party members to refrain from attending Congress unless Democrats relent. Speaking to reporters, he dismissed questions about ongoing talks, insisting it was the Democrats’ responsibility to “end this chaos.”
“There’s nothing left to negotiate. The House has fulfilled its duty,” Johnson stated, referencing a funding bill passed by the House that has stalled in the Senate.
Conversely, Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized Republicans for neglecting their responsibilities.
“House Republicans prioritize their vacations over safeguarding healthcare for everyday Americans,” Jeffries remarked. “We strongly oppose this stance.”
With Republicans controlling the White House and holding narrow majorities in both chambers, the funding bill represents one of the few leverage points for Democrats. The Senate’s 53 Republican seats fall short of the 60 votes needed to pass the measure.
Democrats are leveraging this position to demand the repeal of a tax law enacted earlier this year that is projected to strip healthcare coverage from 11 million Americans, primarily through Medicaid cuts affecting low-income families, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.
They warn that without extending Affordable Care Act subsidies, an additional 4 million Americans could lose coverage next year, while premiums for 24 million others could double.
Since the shutdown began on October 1, numerous government services have halted due to depleted funding, with others nearing critical funding deadlines. Among these is the $8 billion Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), which may exhaust its resources to provide vouchers for infant formula and other necessities to low-income families within two weeks.
Federal employees deemed “essential” continue working without pay until the shutdown ends. Advocacy groups caution that military personnel might start missing paychecks by mid-October.
Agencies most affected by furloughs include the Environmental Protection Agency, NASA, and the Departments of Education, Commerce, and Labor.
On Monday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy reported a “slight increase in sick calls” among air traffic controllers in certain regions since the shutdown began, potentially causing air travel disruptions.
“This could lead to delays,” Duffy explained. “If sick calls rise further, we will reduce traffic flow to maintain safety for the public.”
The Transportation Department also noted that funding for a federal program supporting commercial air service to rural airports was set to expire as early as Sunday.
