Trump threatens ‘irreversible’ cuts to federal programs as government shuts down

President Trump threatened Tuesday to make “irreversible” cuts to federal programs if the government shuts down.

Speaking at an Oval Office event to highlight Mr. Trump’s initiatives to fight pediatric cancer, Mr. Trump warned Democrats that a shutdown could bring mass layoffs and steep cuts to social programs.

“They’re taking a risk by having a shutdown. We can do things during the shutdown that are irreversible, that are bad for them and irreversible,” Mr. Trump said of Democrats. “Like cutting vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like.” 

It’s unclear whether Mr. Trump was referring to health and social programs that have become sacrosanct to lawmakers. 

Mr. Trump’s remarks signal that he intends to use the looming shutdown as leverage, adding that he and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought could “trim the budget to a level that you couldn’t do any other way.”

Earlier Tuesday, Mr. Trump made it clear that scores of federal workers will be laid off because of the shutdown that would take effect Tuesday at midnight. 

“We may do a lot,” Mr. Trump said, when asked how many workers could lose their jobs. 

Congressional Democrats are demanding the spending bill undo the One Big Beautiful Bill’s provisions that bar illegal immigrants and some able-bodied adults from Medicaid. 

They also demand a continuation of Obamacare subsidies that were expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic and are set to expire at the end of this year. 

The White House’s Office of Management and Budget last week sent a memo to federal agencies telling them to put together “reduction in force” plans, signaling that the administration is planning to go beyond the traditional furloughing of federal employees and firing them.