President Trump follows through on threat and begins cutting federal jobs
President Donald Trump’s administration made good on its threat to lay off thousands of federal employees, with government agencies issuing “retrenchment” notices heading into the weekend.
The partial federal government shutdown enters its 13th day on Monday, October 13, and coincides with the federal holiday Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day, which is recognized in some cities and states. Over the weekend, President Donald Trump claimed that 1.3 million active-duty military personnel would be paid this week by accessing funds set aside for research and development, regardless of the government shutdown. “Using my authority as Commander in Chief, I am directing Secretary of the Army Pete Hegseth to use all available funds to get our troops paid on October 15th,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social on Saturday, October 11th. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York called Democrats back to Washington, D.C., for a meeting Tuesday night, Oct. 14, “to discuss the path forward as it relates to the Republican shutdown and health care.” The crisis they are in has been created. ”
Approximately two weeks of shutdown:
Is the federal government still closed?
Yes, the federal government is still largely closed, but Monday, October 13th is a federal holiday, so government offices such as banks and post offices will also be closed.
Nearly 750,000 federal employees have been furloughed and ordered not to report to work. Other employees, including military personnel and air traffic controllers, must work without pay until a budget deal is reached.
What do Democrats and Republicans want from reopening the government?
Democrats want to secure tax cuts for the 24 million Americans who get insurance through the Affordable Care Act (known as Obamacare) and refuse to support government spending bills that do not address the issue. Senate Democrats say they would make the tax cuts permanent, which are set to expire at the end of the year, and provide reassurance to prevent the Trump administration from temporarily withholding funds. Republicans and the president have said they are open to considering fixes to the expiring ACA tax cuts, but the issue should be addressed separately from the ongoing budget impasse. Republicans also argue that the Democratic proposal could pay some of the health insurance premiums of undocumented immigrants. That’s not true, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.
What about Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid?
According to the Social Security Administration’s closure plan, the agency will continue to provide retirement and disability benefits, but will furlough 12% of its employees and suspend marketing campaigns.
Payments will continue under the Medicare and Medicaid health care programs as well.
Will American mail be delivered?
There will be no postal service on Monday as it is a federal holiday. But because the U.S. Postal Service does not rely on Congress for funding, it will reopen starting Tuesday, Oct. 14, the USPS said in a statement.
What about the airport?
More than 13,000 air traffic controllers and about 50,000 Transportation Security Administration employees will still be required to report to work during the shutdown. Air traffic controllers will receive a portion of their pay on October 14 for the work they did before the shutdown, Reuters reported.
Will food assistance continue under SNAP and WIC?
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the nation’s largest food assistance program, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known as WIC, will continue operating during the closure as funding allows, according to closure planning documents issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
What does the military shutdown mean for the military?
While active duty military personnel may be paid, about 55% of the Pentagon’s 740,000 civilian employees have been furloughed, including those in training, procurement and administrative support. Civilians in cybersecurity, medical care, weapons systems maintenance, intelligence and logistics are still working and are not included in the directive to ensure payment by October 15.
The National Guard, which President Trump deployed to American cities, must also remain active.
What about Homeland Security, Immigration and Border Patrol agents?
Only 5% of the Department of Homeland Security’s 271,000 employees are furloughed, including those involved in research, planning, training and auditing.
Secret Service agents, Immigration and Border Protection agents, airport security screeners, Coast Guard personnel and Federal Emergency Management Agency emergency personnel remain on the job. The shutdown, the 15th since 1981, is expected to be the fourth longest shutdown in U.S. history, surpassing the 12-day shutdown in 1977 under President Jimmy Carter. The longest shutdown lasted 35 days during President Trump’s first term in 2018-2019.Contributors: USA TODAY’s Zach Anderson, Joey Garrison and Gabe Hauari; bert jansen Kathryn Palmer, Zachary Charmelet, Mike Snyder, Lauren Villagran, Sarah D. Wyer
