White House deploys nuclear option amid Democrat-induced shutdown stalemate

With no end in sight for the government shutdown, President Donald Trump’s administration is turning up the heat on Democrats.

The Office of Management and Budget has officially begun issuing reduction-in-force notices that will lead to “substantial” layoffs across several federal agencies, an OMB spokesperson told Blaze News. OMB Director Russell Vought also confirmed the layoffs in a post on X Friday, saying, “The RIFs have begun.”

‘Every day it’s actually getting worse for them.’

Vought originally directed agencies to begin drafting RIF notices back in September in anticipation of the government shutdown. Trump also signaled on Thursday that mass layoffs and program cuts were imminent, warning that Democrats would get “a little taste of their own medicine.”

“We’re only going to cut Democrat programs, I hate to tell you,” Trump said during the Cabinet meeting Thursday.

RELATED: White House dares Democrats with nuclear response to looming shutdown

Annabelle Gordon/Bloomberg via Getty Images

“Chuck Schumer proclaimed this morning that every day gets better for them,” Trump said. “No, every day it’s actually getting worse for them, and they’re having a rebellion in the Democrat Party because they want to stop.”

Although Democrats have continued to dig their heels in, Republicans have remained unified behind the president, arguing there’s nothing to negotiate. Going into the 10th day of the shutdown, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) made his media rounds on Friday by attending several pressers throughout the day, even joining the House Freedom Caucus for its historic, first-ever press call.

During the call, Johnson also hinted that Congress may be considering another rescissions package and that lawmakers will be hearing more “in the days to come.”

RELATED: Most Democrats vote against bill boosting security funds for politicians following Kirk assassination

Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

As of this writing, Democrats have voted to keep the government closed over a half dozen times since the September 30 funding deadline lapsed. The Republican-led funding bill Democrats have so heavily protested is a clean, nonpartisan CR that keeps the government open at the current spending levels, with the exception of increased funding for security following Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

In contrast, the Democrats’ funding bill boasts a $1.5 trillion price tag, aiming to reverse virtually every legislative accomplishment Republicans secured with Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Even with competing legislation, Congress has reached a stalemate, with both the House and the Senate out of session until Tuesday.

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