The vice-president said the administration would be forced to resort to layoffs if the shutdown lasts more than a few days. Key US politics stories from Wednesday 1 October at a glance
Donald Trump’s administration froze $26bn for Democratic-leaning states, following through on a threat to use the government shutdown to target Democratic priorities.
The targeted programs included $18bn for transit projects in New York, home to Congress’s top two Democrats, and $8bn for green-energy projects in 16 Democratic-run states, including California and Illinois. Vice-president JD Vance, meanwhile, warned that the administration might extend its purge of federal workers if the shutdown lasts more than a few days.
The moves made clear that Trump would carry out his threat to take advantage of the shutdown to punish his political opponents and extend his control over the $7tn federal budget.
Vance said at a White House briefing that the administration would be forced to resort to layoffs if the shutdown lasts more than a few days, adding to the 300,000 who will be pushed out by December. Previous shutdowns have not resulted in permanent layoffs.
