The Trump administration has used the ongoing government shutdown to maximize pain on Democratic-led states while preparing to lay off thousands of civil servants. White House Budget Director Russell T. Vought halted billions of dollars in funds for programs deemed “wasteful” or not aligned with President Trump’s agenda, including Green New Scam funding and infrastructure projects in 16 states led by Democrats.
The administration’s actions appear punitive, aiming to harm the political enemies of President Trump during a fiscal stalemate with no clear end in sight. The move has sparked criticism from Democrats, who accuse the White House of using the shutdown as a pretext to inflict pain on their supporters.
As the standoff continues, critical government services are halted or reduced significantly, and there is no indication of when federal employees will receive back pay. The longer the crisis persists, financial harm to American families, businesses, and the broader economy grows.
While President Trump’s top aides claim they have not politicized the funding lapse, Democrats see it as an attempt to use the shutdown for their own agenda. A group of unions representing federal workers has preemptively sued the administration over its potential mass layoffs under cover of a shutdown.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/01/us/politics/white-house-shutdown-punishment.html