Vice President JD Vance on Sunday warned that the federal workforce would face deeper cuts the longer the government shutdown continues, adding uncertainty for hundreds of thousands of employees already furloughed without pay.
The shutdown entered its 12th day, with Vance describing the coming reductions as “painful,” even as the administration worked to ensure military personnel were paid and some services for low-income Americans, including food assistance, remained in place.
According to a court filing by the Office of Management and Budget, more than 4,000 federal employees are expected to be fired as a direct result of the shutdown. The Smithsonian announced that its museums, research centers, and National Zoo would close temporarily due to lack of funding, reporting details to the
Associated Press.“The longer this goes on, the deeper the cuts are going to be,” Vance said on
Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures. “Some of these cuts are going to be painful. This is not a situation that we relish, but the Democrats have dealt us a difficult set of cards.”
Unions push back
Labor unions have filed lawsuits seeking to block what they call aggressive action by the budget office, a move that goes beyond typical shutdown protocols and heightens tensions between Republican leaders and the Democratic minority, according to
AP.Stalemate in Congress
The shutdown began on October 1, 2025, after Democrats rejected a short-term funding measure, demanding that the bill include an extension of federal subsidies for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. Without an extension, millions will face higher monthly premiums by the end of the year.
Negotiations remain stalled. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said, “Republicans control the House, the Senate and the presidency. It’s unfortunate they’ve taken a my-way-or-the-highway approach.” House Speaker Mike Johnson blamed Democrats, accusing them of pursuing partisan politics while ignoring the hardships faced by Americans,
AP reports.
Progressives see GOP fractures
Progressive activists voiced support for Democrats. Ezra Levin, co-founder of Indivisible, said fractures in the GOP were emerging, pointing to Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s warning that insurance premiums could spike for ordinary Americans, including her own adult children, according to
AP.Thousands of layoffs expected
Federal agencies including Education, Treasury, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, and the Environmental Protection Agency have prepared layoff notices for thousands of employees. Union representatives confirmed the notices, emphasizing the scale of the impending cuts.
“You hear a lot of Senate Democrats say, well, how can Donald Trump possibly lay off all of these federal workers?” Vance said. “Well, the Democrats have given us a choice between giving low-income women their food benefits and paying our troops on the one hand, and, on the other hand, paying federal bureaucrats,”
AP reports.
Democrats call firings illegal
Democrats argue the firings are illegal and unnecessary. “They do not have to do this,” said Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona on
CNN. “They do not have to punish people that shouldn’t find themselves in this position,” according to
AP.As the standoff continues, the shutdown shows no sign of ending, leaving federal employees in limbo and the government increasingly strained.
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