Shutdown

NPR - The White House budget director, Russ Vought, announced yesterday the cancellation of $8 billion for energy projects in 16 states, all of which are considered blue states. This move marks the latest funding cut by the Trump administration following the federal government shutdown. Vice President JD Vance has warned that federal workforce layoffs will happen if the shutdown continues.

🎧 The White House is putting pressure on Democrats to negotiate. However, based on Vought’s past statements, he appears more focused on implementing cuts than collaborating with Democrats, NPR’s Franco Ordoñez tells Up First. The government typically decides which employees are considered essential for a temporary shutdown. In this instance, the White House might be attempting to apply this concept to enforce permanent cuts. Multiple federal employee unions say the White House doesn’t have the authority to do so. 🎧 Many vital government services, like Social Security payments and Medicaid, are expected to be unaffected by the shutdown. However, staffing shortages may lead to delays for some services if the shutdown continues, says NPR’s Greg Allen. Among the things most at risk are federal food assistance programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Carlos Hernandez, a 75-year-old, visited a SNAP office in Maryland yesterday to renew his benefits, only to find the office closed. Hernandez said he worries about what the shutdown could mean for his benefits.  ➡️ Multiweek shutdowns are relatively rare, but have become more common in recent decades. Here’s how long past shutdowns have lasted.  ➡️ A shortage of air traffic controllers may have helped end the last government shutdown in 2019. Now, U.S. airlines are once again bracing for possible delays in commercial flights.   NBC News - White House budget director Russell Vought told House Republicans that the Trump administration will start firing federal employees in the next “one to two” days, according to two GOP sources on the conference call, Melanie Zanona, Julie Tsirkin and Scott Wong report....

Follow live shutdown updates →