Fetterman: Government Shutdown Could Aid Trump
Just hours before a potential government shutdown, Senator John Fetterman from Pennsylvania expressed concerns that such a closure would actually benefit former President Trump. He spoke to reporters on Tuesday, stating, “The president has many levers that he can pull. This is something we can pull, so why do we pull that lever? That’s because he can pull more levers.”
Fetterman mentioned this in the context of “Project 2025,” referring to a plan by the conservative Heritage Foundation, which he suggested could be promoted if the government were to close.
The deadline for reaching a funding agreement between Republicans and Democrats looms, with a shutdown set to commence Wednesday morning if an agreement isn’t reached.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune expressed optimism on Tuesday, hoping that senators would start voting on funding proposals by 5 PM.
Currently, the Democratic proposal aims to fund the government until the end of October while also making premium subsidies for the Affordable Care Act permanent and restoring around $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts. In contrast, the Republican plan, which has already passed in the House, would fund the government until November 21.
Unfortunately, both proposals are predicted to fail, with Thune and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer set to vote on the procedural aspects of the proposals on Wednesday. Tensions are high, with leaders from both parties assigning blame to each other for the impasse.
Fetterman remarked that a shutdown would “stomp the nation into chaos,” highlighting the seriousness of the situation. While federal employees do receive retroactive pay once the government reopens, they will not be compensated during the shutdown. Essential services, including social security benefits and disaster responses, would also be affected.
Recently, the Office of Budget and Management instructed federal agencies to prepare for possible mass layoffs in the event of a government closure, as noted in a memo obtained by The Hill.
The Trump administration has been pursuing significant cuts to the federal workforce since January, although some of these efforts have been blocked by court decisions. Still, White House spokesperson Caroline Leavitt indicated on Monday that the president “wants to keep the government open.”
