Trump threatens mass firings as shutdown continues with no signs of potential deal

Geoff Bennett:

There were no signs of progress among lawmakers today in Washington, and that ensures the government will stay shut down for another day, as Democrats dig in on protections to health care.

Amna Nawaz:

President Trump is also digging in and warning of far-reaching consequences, firing federal workers and targeting Democratic states with a wave of cuts to federal projects. He even invoked the name of a policy blueprint he once distanced himself from on the campaign trail. That's Project 2025.

White House correspondent Liz Landers begins our coverage.

Liz Landers:

Day two of the government shutdown and the White House is turning up the temperature on its threats to permanently lay off workers.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt alluded to unprecedented mass layoffs that are — quote — "likely going to be in the thousands," plus drastic cuts to so-called "Democrat agencies," but gave no indication of which those might be.

Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary:

Look, we're going to look at agencies that don't align with the administration's values that we feel are a waste of the taxpayer dollar. And, look, unfortunately, these conversations are happening because we don't have any money coming into the federal government right now.

Liz Landers:

President Trump today sitting down with his budget director, Russ Vought, to lay out options.

Mr. Trump on social media, notably no longer disavowing Vought's ties to Project 2025, which has long advocated for wide-scale government cuts. Instead, the president leaning in, writing — quote — "I can't believe the radical left Democrats gave me this unprecedented opportunity."

Trump talked up those threats speaking to conservative-leaning network One America News.

Donald Trump, President of the United States: Well, there could be firings, and that's their fault. And it could also be other things. I mean, we could cut projects that they wanted, favorite projects and they'd be permanently cut. So you could say — a lot of people are saying, Trump wanted this, that I wanted this closing.

And I didn't want it. But a lot of people are saying it because I'm allowed to cut things that should have never been approved in the first place.

Liz Landers:

Russ Vought says he's already begun that work, canceling $8 billion in green energy projects in 16 states where voters backed Kamala Harris over Trump in the 2024 election.

One of the Democratic governors of those states, former Harris running mate Tim Walz, called that an egregious abuse of power.

Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN):

This idea that you have got to go and kiss the ring, or you have got to go and give some type of award to get basic services that he swore an oath to defend, that is outrageous.

Liz Landers:

Meanwhile, down Pennsylvania Avenue, the stalemate between lawmakers drags on with no end in sight, Democrats digging in on their core demand, refusing to back a bill that doesn't reverse Medicaid cuts and extend Obamacare subsidies.

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY):

People are going to face medical bankruptcy, millions of American citizens. And Republicans don't want to do anything about it. Democrats are in this fight until we win this fight.

Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA):

Don't ask the Republicans what we should be doing or what we should be negotiating. I don't have anything to negotiate.

Liz Landers:

Speaker Mike Johnson and Republican leadership said those discussions on health care can wait until their deadline at the end of the year.

Rep. Mike Johnson:

We have three months to do that. That is not an issue for today. Today, the only issue is whether they're going to vote to keep the government operating for the people, clear, plain and simple.

Liz Landers:

Outside the Capitol, both federal workers and visitors ran into small reminders of the closure around town.

Man:

We didn't come to Washington to have to face a shutdown.

Liz Landers:

But they say they haven't seen the shutdown's effects ripple out of control yet.

Steve Bergsbaken, D.C. Resident:

It will affect, like, say, the next paycheck, if we don't get the check. But if they settle it by the 15th, then it'll be OK.

James Faranda, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Employee: It's stressful because you just have all this uncertainty. So I wish they would just get their act together so that we can all do what we do best at work, which is work and work for the American people, because I do work for the government.

Liz Landers:

The Senate will take another vote on a government funding bill tomorrow. But, if that fails, it is unlikely that they will stay in town this weekend, which means, Amna, that this shutdown may extend into next week.

Amna Nawaz:

So, Liz, just bring us up to speed on the latest. What's the state of play? Are there any negotiations or discussions to end this?

Liz Landers:

We're pretty much at a stalemate right now. The president has not had any public events yesterday or today. We do know that he was supposed to have that meeting today with his OMB director, Russ Vought. We did not get a readout of that meeting yet.

This afternoon, Speaker Johnson was seen arriving to the White House, to the West Wing. So presumably he's talking with the president about this. But we heard Democratic Leader Jeffries saying that he's open to having more negotiations, but those are not happening right now.

Amna Nawaz:

And as you reported there, the administration now seems to be taking deliberate steps to target Democratic states, Democratic priorities in their shutdown decisions. What should we know about that?

Liz Landers:

It's not unusual for the political parties to play the blame game here, but the White House is being very political, especially not just in their words, but also in their actions.

So we saw in our report that the OMB director is slashing some of these programs, these energy programs in 16 states that all voted Democrat in the last election. And then also we have seen a lot of online presence, political presence, from this administration blaming the shutdown on Democrats.

Several of the major federal Web sites for agencies have messages like this one. The agriculture Web site says: "Due to the radical left Democrat shutdown, this government Web site will not be updated." There is a lot of that right now.

Amna Nawaz:

All right, that's our White House correspondent, Liz Landers, reporting tonight.

Liz, thank you.