US Government Shutdown Risk: Layoffs Imminent!

Serious Warning from Trump: Layoffs Possible If Government Shuts Down

U.S. President Donald Trump expressed concerns that widespread layoffs could occur if the federal government shuts down this week.

White House Warns of Shutdown

In an exclusive interview with NBC News, Trump said, "We're going to terminate a lot of people we can terminate permanently. I wouldn't want to do that." The White House reiterated its warning that numerous government employees could be at risk of losing their jobs if the government shuts down on Tuesday night.

No Agreement Reached in Congress

Last week, the Trump administration informed federal agencies that they should prepare for mass layoffs if an agreement to prevent a shutdown cannot be reached by Congress. If the White House carries out its threat, this would differ from previous practices, meaning federal employees would not typically be furloughed temporarily.

History Could Repeat Itself: The 2013 Shutdown

During the full government shutdown in 2013, approximately 850,000 employees were temporarily furloughed, according to data from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

Political Divisions and Running Out of Time

Serious divisions between Republican and and Democratic lawmakers are increasing the risk of thousands losing their jobs if a compromise cannot be reached before Tuesday midnight. The White House is warning of deep economic impacts if the crisis remains unresolved.