The Washington Memorial in Washington, DC on October 1, 2025, closed many operations overnight after Congress failed to pass the Stop Gap Funding Bill.

WASHINGTON – Vice President J.D. Vance mentioned on Wednesday his efforts to garner additional votes from U.S. Senate Democrats for the Republican suspension spending bill aimed at reopening the government.

However, in the meantime, White House officials are preparing for significant cuts to federal staff—a drastic measure that hasn’t been typical during previous funding deadlocks.

“We need to take unusual measures to keep our government functioning. It’s not fully operational, but we’ll do what we can to mitigate the impact during this shutdown,” Vance stated.

Concerned Democrats highlighted the adverse effects of layoffs on vital federal programs and people’s lives, urging their colleagues to support the seven-week spending bill, which has stalled in the Senate. They insist that lawmakers won’t back a GOP plan unless there’s some negotiation regarding rising healthcare costs.

During shutdowns, some federal employees are typically exempt from cuts, meaning they continue working. Others, conversely, are not. A 2019 law ensures that any funding issued later will be repaid.

Notably, such massive layoffs were not executed during the shutdowns of 2013 or 2018-2019 under the Trump administration.

Government officials criticized Vance for the current impasse, accusing him of perpetuating divisive rhetoric and failing to address the root issues.

“Last night, three moderate Democrats joined 52 Republicans in support. We need five more to effectively reopen,” he emphasized.

White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt remarked that the layoffs would be “immediate” but did not specify the percentage of affected federal employees. She stated that more details would be forthcoming from the White House budget director.

Leavitt expressed that “these reductions will unfortunately need to occur very soon.”

Impact on key programs

The administration foresees disruptions to various programs due to the budget impasse, notably affecting new enrollees in the WIC nutrition assistance program. Leavitt specified that “1.3 million active-duty personnel will be required to continue working without pay,” which adds to the uncertainty for low-income women and children dependent on vital food aid.

“These aren’t just statistics. These are actual families,” she noted, highlighting how food aid cuts could affect new mothers and their children as well. Air traffic controllers and TSA agents are also set to work without pay during this shutdown.

While Congress members and federal judges are guaranteed salaries by the Constitution, some lawmakers have called for withholding their own pay until the government reopens. However, they are legally unable to do so, but they can choose to donate their salaries to charity, which remains an option regardless of government operations.

“Mafia-style threat”

The potential layoffs have already sparked lawsuits in federal courts, disputing the legality of threatening job cuts during government shutdowns.

As of July 1, approximately 2.2 million federal workers were identified nationwide, with a significant number based in states like California, Florida, and Texas; around 30% of this workforce comprises veterans.

Maryland Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen indicated that his office has not yet reported any federal employee layoffs in his state, characterizing the threats of job cuts as “mafia-style” and unjust.

While he did not outline specific measures to combat potential layoffs, he deemed them illegal, referring to ongoing lawsuits from unions representing over a million federal workers, including those in the United States Federation of Government Employees.

Virginia Senator Mark Warner echoed this sentiment, stating that the president does not have extra authority during government shutdowns to indiscriminately fire employees.

Republican Senator Kevin Kramer of North Dakota pointed out that Democrats should not portray themselves as morally superior, arguing that the GOP’s suspension bill is essential for government functionality. However, he expressed concerns that widespread layoffs could complicate matters for Republican lawmakers in the long run.

Democrat Senator Tim Kaine expressed hope that provisions protecting federal workers could help mitigate potential layoffs, referencing previous protections established in 2019 that guarantee back pay for affected employees after a shutdown.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized the Trump administration for what he labeled a systematic destruction of federal jobs, asserting that while jobs are decreasing, costs are on the rise.

Shutdown plan outlines

The Trump administration is progressively detailing which federal employees will continue working without pay during the shutdown and which ones will be let go.

These plans aim to comply with federal law even as operations are suspended, although specifics on potential layoffs remain unclear.

• Agriculture Department Emergency response plan
• Commerce Department Emergency response plan
• Defense Department Emergency response plan
• Education Department Emergency response plan
• Energy Department Emergency response plan
• Health and Human Services Emergency response plan
• Homeland Security Emergency response plan
• Housing and Urban Development Emergency response plan
• Interior Department Emergency response plan
• Labor Department Emergency response plan
• Justice Department Emergency response plan
• State Department Emergency response plan
• Social Security Administration Emergency response plan
• Transportation Department Emergency response plan
• Treasury Department Emergency response plan
• Veterans Affairs Emergency response plan

Attack banner

The Trump administration has implemented a new strategy for communicating about the shutdown through website banners, aiming to assign blame to Democrats. The Agriculture Department’s site asserts, “Due to the fundamental left Democrat closure, this government’s website will not be updated during fund expiration. President Trump has made clear his intention to keep the government operational and support the American populace.”

Additional departments have echoed this messaging, with the Defense Department calmly noting that military duties will proceed until Congress resolves the budget issue.

Messages from the Health and Human Services Department reflect similar sentiments, underscoring their commitment to mission-critical activities despite the shutdown. However, such communications could raise legal concerns regarding the appropriate use of government resources for political purposes.