The White House is taking a firm stance against further federal worker layoffs, known as RIFs, as part of an ongoing effort to pressure Democrats into agreeing to a GOP continuing resolution and end the government shutdown. A statement from the White House Office of Management and Budget emphasized readiness for the prolonged shutdown, stating, ‘Pay the troops, pay law enforcement, continue the RIFs, and wait.’ This position aligns with President Trump’s rhetoric, who has vowed to only cut Democratic programs, ensuring his party’s priorities are untouched.
The shutdown has also been a tool to reduce billions in climate and infrastructure funding, particularly targeting states that backed Kamala Harris in the previous election. The political stand-off is pushing toward the longest government shutdown in U.S. history unless Democrats make concessions on the Affordable Care Act’s premium tax credits.
Senate Democrats have withheld support for the GOP continuing resolution to leverage a negotiation over extending premium tax credits within the Affordable Care Act. However, Republican leadership, including Speaker Mike Johnson, is signaling that the responsibility lies with the holdout Democrats to act. Johnson’s statement emphasized the need for a clean, no-strings-attached budget to reopen the government and pay federal workers.
The messaging battle is up for grabs, with American voters more likely to fault the GOP for the shutdown, although they still trust Republicans over Democrats on the economy. Recent polling indicates that while Democrats are blame for the shutdown, the GOP remains favored on economic issues.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson defended the administration’s actions, stating that Democrats are prioritizing ‘free health care for illegal aliens’ over the American people. She accused Chuck Schumer of believing that each day of the shutdown brings ‘better’ conditions for the ‘radical left,’ while asserting that the American public disagrees. OMB did not immediately respond to a request for comment from POLITICO.