President Trump stated on Tuesday that significant layoffs in the federal government could happen if Congress doesn’t take action to prevent a shutdown by the end of the day.
“Well, we might do a lot, that’s just for Democrats,” Trump remarked when questioned about the number of federal employees who might face layoffs due to the impending closure.
He continually criticized illegal immigration, claiming that Democrats aim to offer medical benefits to immigrants. Although Trump is attempting to frame the shutdown debate around this issue, Democrats are primarily focused on extending the Affordable Care Act for American citizens, which is set to expire soon.
“You know, they want to take care of people who are illegally entering our country, and the system simply cannot cope with that,” Trump insisted. “Our nation can’t support those who come here illegally. They want to provide them with full health care benefits. They even want to reopen the wall, can you believe that? I can’t even wrap my head around it.”
The White House cautioned that if Democrats do not take steps to avert the shutdown, layoffs could occur just days after Trump’s Budget Office mandated preparations in light of mass shootings.
Trump had a meeting with four Congressional leaders from the White House on Monday, during which Vice President Pence mentioned that Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer (NY) seems to have been overlooked regarding funding demands from across the aisle.
Democratic proposals include a permanent extension of expired subsidies from the Affordable Care Act, reversing GOP cuts to Medicaid through “big, beautiful bills,” and restoring financial assistance.
Schumer warned that some families have informed Trump that health insurance premiums could increase by $400 monthly if the extended subsidies lapse at the year’s end, and many small hospitals nationwide could shut down as a consequence of the Medicaid cuts.
