President Donald Trump has indicated that he and his budget director will identify “Democrat Agencies” for potential cuts as the US government shutdown progresses into its third day. Trump suggested this could be an opportunity to “clear out dead wood” and showed no inclination to compromise with Democrats on their demand to include healthcare insurance subsidies in the funding legislation.
Meanwhile, political leaders on Capitol Hill continue to trade accusations regarding responsibility for keeping federal agencies operational. As a result, hundreds of thousands of federal employees are at home on unpaid leave, while others continue to work without pay. Federal attractions are facing closures, though some, like the Statue of Liberty, remain accessible.
Analysts anticipate that neither political party will yield without significant public pressure, as most Americans have not yet felt the direct consequences of the shutdown. The precise actions Trump might take during his meeting with Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought remain uncertain. Historically, when Congress fails to pass funding bills, the OMB director assists the president in determining which government functions are essential and which personnel should be furloughed.
Following the shutdown’s commencement, the White House began a process to pause or cancel substantial funding allocations to states perceived as supporting Democratic policies. This included a notable $18 billion earmarked for New York’s infrastructure projects, a state represented by key Democratic figures like Senator Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
For the government to reopen, both Republican and Democratic parties must reach a legislative agreement. Currently, Republicans require at least eight Democratic senators to support their funding proposals, while Democrats need thirteen Republican senators to join them. A recent Senate vote saw only three Democrats siding with Republicans on a failed measure.
Lawmakers are scheduled to reconvene on Friday afternoon, hoping to break the stalemate with another Senate vote. Republicans favour passing a funding bill without any additional measures, whereas Democrats are pushing for the inclusion of renewed health insurance subsidies for low-income individuals, which are set to expire by the end of the year.
In separate press conferences on Capitol Hill, both parties maintained their firm stances. House Speaker Mike Johnson criticized Democrats as “selfish,” labelling the shutdown as the “Democrat shutdown” and refusing to negotiate on adding healthcare subsidies or other provisions to the funding legislation. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries countered by accusing Republicans of opposing healthcare access for working-class Americans and dismissed Trump’s threats of further federal worker layoffs as redundant, noting that such actions have been ongoing.
According to Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist University Institute for Public Opinion, public opinion on fault for the shutdown is largely divided along party lines. His polling indicates that majorities within both the Democratic and Republican parties blame the opposing party, while 41% of independent voters believe both parties share equal responsibility. Miringoff commented, “Both of the parties have mastered the finger-pointing, and all we’re left with is a growing number of people think the country is headed in the wrong direction.” He anticipates that public pressure will build for Congress to resolve the shutdown, but only once the impact becomes more personally felt by citizens.
As political discourse continues, government services are beginning to falter, and thousands of federal employees are staying home. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that approximately 750,000 federal workers may be placed on unpaid leave. Essential personnel, including over 200,000 law enforcement officers, are expected to continue working, albeit without immediate pay. Air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers are classified as essential, meaning air travel should not be significantly disrupted. However, past shutdowns have seen increased sick leave among these critical employees, leading to airport delays.
Federal museums in Washington and New York, such as Federal Hall in Manhattan, have closed their doors to visitors. A manager confirmed that the historic building, which once hosted George Washington’s first presidential oath and housed early government branches, is now shut like other federal monuments. However, not all sites are affected. In New York, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island remain open, a situation a Department of the Interior spokesperson attributed to President Trump’s leadership. The Smithsonian, a network of museums attracting millions annually, has indicated it has sufficient funding to remain open for another week.