By Jack Phillips
President Donald Trump said on Oct. 5 that federal layoffs are “taking place right now ” in the midst of a government shutdown, now in its sixth day. One of his top advisers said the next morning that the administration would take “sharp measures” soon.
On Sunday evening, the president was asked by a reporter about federal workers being fired. He responded, “It’s taking place right now—and it’s all because of the Democrats. The Democrats are causing the loss of a lot of jobs with their shutdown. It’s their shutdown; not our shutdown.”
National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Monday morning that Trump is “hoping that we’re going to get the government to stop being shut down” during Senate votes on reopening the government later that day.
“But if not, then I would guess that team in the Oval is going to start taking sharp measures,” Hassett added.
Neither Trump nor Hassett indicated what federal agencies or types of employees would be targeted in mass layoffs.
Since the shutdown was initiated on Oct. 1, the Trump administration has warned that federal layoffs would take place. Over the past several days, several Democratic and Republican bills have failed to pass, but the Senate is slated to vote again on Monday on a measure to reopen.
Democrats are insisting on renewing Obamacare subsidies to cover health insurance costs for millions of households, while Trump wants to preserve existing spending levels, saying he believes that Democrats will have to cave because of the jobs and federal projects at risk.
Since taking office in January, Trump has made reducing the size of the federal government a priority. He issued an executive order in February targeting the federal workforce by implementing hiring freezes and related plans. He also established the Department of Government Efficiency, tasking it with eliminating fraud, abuse, or waste.
Democrats, meanwhile, have pinned the blame for the shutdown on Trump and Republicans.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said on Monday morning that “Trump and Republicans have decided to shut the government down because they’re unwilling to provide healthcare to working-class Americans” and that “we need a spending agreement that improves the quality of life of everyday Americans.”
“We are willing to take what Senate Republicans have done in order to reopen the government so that we no longer are holding 800,000 federal workers hostage,” he told NBC’s “Today” show.
Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) also defended his party’s stance on the shutdown, saying on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday that the possible increase in health care costs for “millions of Americans” would make insurance unaffordable.
“We need both to address the health care crisis, and we need some written assurance in the law. I won’t take a promise that they’re not going to renege on any deal we make,” Schiff said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
