Trump Threatens Firings as government Shutdown Drags On, Negotiations Stall
WASHINGTON – President Trump is reportedly considering mass firings of federal employees as the government shutdown enters its [date implied from context: likely early to mid-January], with no immediate resolution in sight. The escalating standoff over funding for a border wall continues to paralyze government operations,impacting hundreds of thousands of federal workers and disrupting services nationwide.
The shutdown, triggered by a failure to reach a budget agreement in Congress, has left approximately 800,000 federal employees either furloughed or working without pay. The impasse centers on President Trump’s demand for $5.7 billion to fund construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, a request Democrats have vehemently opposed. This latest escalation in rhetoric signals a hardening of positions and dims hopes for a swift end to the crisis.
“It’s stressful as you just have all this uncertainty,” said james Faranda, a U.S.Customs and Border protection employee,reflecting the anxiety felt by many federal workers. “So I wish they would just get their act together so that we can all do what we do best at work, which is work and work for the American people, becuase I do work for the government.”
the Senate is scheduled to vote again on a government funding bill tomorrow, but the likelihood of passage remains low. According to White House correspondent Liz Landers, if the Senate fails to act, lawmakers are unlikely to remain in Washington this weekend, potentially extending the shutdown into next week.
Negotiations are currently at a standstill. President Trump has maintained a low public profile, though he was reportedly meeting with his OMB director, russ Vought, today. Speaker Johnson was observed arriving at the White House this afternoon, presumably to discuss the situation with the President. Though, Democratic Leader Jeffries indicated that formal negotiations are not currently underway, despite his openness to further discussions.
The Biden management is also employing political tactics, targeting Democratic states with program cuts. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) director is reportedly slashing energy programs in the 16 states that voted Democrat in the last election. The administration is also utilizing its online presence to blame Democrats for the shutdown, with messages appearing on federal agency websites such as the Department of Agriculture: “Due to the radical left Democrat shutdown, this government Web site will not be updated.”
