On Wednesday, Vice President J.D. Vance intensified the Trump administration’s warning that federal employees could face layoffs if Congress fails to approve a federal spending bill to conclude the government shutdown, the first in nearly .
Making an infrequent appearance in the White House press briefing room, Vance commented that this particular shutdown might diverge from earlier instances where furloughed federal employees ultimately resumed their positions and collected retroactive pay.
“No definitive choices have been made regarding the fate of specific employees,” Vance stated. “Our message is that extraordinary measures could become necessary, particularly as this situation persists.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt explained that federal government reductions are “regrettable outcomes” of a shutdown, as the Office of Management and Budget assesses “what we can maintain operationally and what, regrettably, must cease.” She added, “Layoffs are unfortunately highly probable, precisely as the Vice President indicated.”
Federal employee unions assert that the threat of dismissing federal staff during a shutdown is against the law. The American Federation of Government Employees, alongside other unions, initiated a federal lawsuit on Tuesday, contending that the Administration’s warnings of widespread layoffs are “illegal.”
AFGE’s national president Everett Kelley remarked, “Declaring intentions to terminate possibly tens of thousands of federal personnel merely because Congress and the administration disagree on government funding beyond the fiscal year’s conclusion is not just illegal—it is unethical and indefensible.”
Vance consistently attributed blame for the shutdown to Democrats. Although Republicans hold majorities in both houses of Congress, roughly eight Democratic votes are necessary for Senators to achieve the 60 votes required to restart government operations. Vance asserted that negotiations failed due to Democrats advocating for expanded healthcare coverage for undocumented immigrants. The Health and Human Services website states that individuals residing in the country without authorization do not qualify for Affordable Care Act health care subsidies.
Furthermore, Vance defended President Trump’s distribution of a meme depicting House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in a sombrero and mustache, characterizing it as “amusing” and indicative of President Trump “enjoying himself somewhat.” When a journalist pointed out that Jeffries himself had labeled the video racist, Vance responded: “Hakeem Jeffries stated it was racist, and I am aware he said that—and frankly, I don’t even comprehend its meaning. For instance, is he a Mexican-American who finds offense in a sombrero meme?”
