WASHINGTON, Oct 3: Former President Donald Trump has pushed for cuts in what he called “Democrat agencies” while Washington remains deadlocked over a government shutdown, the BBC reported. Analysts said neither Republicans nor Democrats are likely to compromise until the public begins to feel serious effects.
According to the BBC, Trump met with Russell Vought, head of the Office of Management and Budget, to determine which services should continue and which staff should face unpaid leave. Vought confirmed that the White House had already frozen or redirected billions of dollars earmarked for Democratic states, including $18 billion in New York projects linked to senior Democrats Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries.
To end the stalemate, both chambers of Congress must pass new funding. Republicans require eight Democrats in the Senate, while Democrats need 13 Republican votes, the BBC explained. Only three Democrats supported Republicans in the most recent failed vote, the BBC stated. Lawmakers will try again on Friday, but their positions remain far apart.
47% of Americans blame Trump for government shutdown
The BBC further said that House Speaker Mike Johnson accused Democrats of selfishness and insisted he would not negotiate on adding health insurance subsidies to the funding package.
Jeffries countered, telling reporters Republicans were blocking healthcare for working families, and dismissed Trump’s threats to sack more civil servants, the BBC stated.
Polling showed Americans divided largely along party lines about who is to blame. Lee Miringoff of Marist College told the BBC that independents were more inclined to fault both sides. He added that pressure on Congress will build only once ordinary Americans begin to experience the disruption.
About 750,000 federal workers face unpaid leave, while “essential” staff such as law enforcement and air traffic controllers must keep working without pay. The BBC recalled that during the last shutdown, some airport delays emerged when staff began calling in sick.
Tourists are already seeing consequences. The BBC reported closures at federal museums in Washington and New York, including Federal Hall in Manhattan, where George Washington was sworn in. A manager told the BBC the historic building had shut like other national monuments.
Yet not every site is closed. The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island remain open, a Department of the Interior spokesperson told the BBC. The Smithsonian network of museums said it had enough funds to stay open for about a week, according to the BBC.
