The US government shutdown entered its third week on Monday, as Congress remains deadlocked over spending with no resolution in sight, already resulting in thousands of job losses.
Hundreds of thousands of federal employees are on forced leave, and President Donald Trump is intensifying his efforts to pressure Democrats into meeting Republican funding demands by threatening significant workforce cuts.
Trump has promised to ensure troops receive their pay despite missing paychecks for the first time, yet the situation is causing long lines of military personnel at food banks.
Trump has warned that the Democrats’ continued refusal to support a House-approved resolution to fund the government through late November will lead to mass layoffs targeting workers perceived as Democratic allies.
“We’re cutting some programs we don’t want—mainly Democrat-backed initiatives,” Trump informed reporters.
“We’re eliminating programs we never supported and likely won’t let them return,” he added.
Vice President JD Vance told Fox News over the weekend that Democrats face more difficulties if they don’t concede.
According to court filings from the Department of Justice, over 4,000 employees were terminated on Friday, with the US Treasury and departments of health, education, and housing being the most affected.
These workforce reductions are part of a broader strategy to pressure Democrats into supporting Republican efforts to reopen the government.
However, Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries in the Senate and House have dismissed the threats, predicting any layoffs will be overturned in court.
– Sticking Point –
Approximately 1.3 million active-duty military personnel are poised to miss their first paycheck on Wednesday.
The Stronghold Food Pantry, which aids military families, reported an “unprecedented surge in demand since the shutdown began,” Time magazine noted.
On Saturday, Trump announced that he would instruct Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to use “all available funds to ensure our Troops are PAID” by Wednesday.
Pentagon officials are reportedly reallocating $8 billion from research and development funds, and while the legality of this action is questionable, it has faced minimal opposition from both parties.
Republican Speaker Mike Johnson, who has kept the House in recess since September 19, is resisting calls to reconvene members to vote on a standalone bill to fund military salaries during the shutdown.
“We have voted multiple times to pay the troops. We’ve done it already. The House approved it three weeks ago,” Johnson told reporters on Friday.
“The responsibility now lies with Senate Democrats,” he stated.
The primary obstacle is the Republican refusal to include Democratic demands for extending expiring health insurance subsidies for 24 million Americans in the government funding resolution.
With Congress observing a federal holiday on Monday, ensuring the shutdown extends to a 14th day, and Trump’s promise to secure military pay being well-received, there is less urgency for either side to end the impasse.
The Senate is scheduled to reconvene on Tuesday for an eighth attempt at reopening the government, though expectations for a different result remain low.
Airports are experiencing increasing delays as the shutdown continues, with Transportation Security Administration employees calling in sick rather than working without pay.
The Smithsonian Institution also closed its National Zoo and museums as of Sunday.
