Government shutdown entering sixth day as Republicans and Democrats
remain at an impasse
[October 06, 2025]
By JOSH BOAK
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican and Democratic lawmakers at an impasse on
reopening the federal government provided few public signs Sunday of
meaningful negotiations taking place to end what is about to be a
six-day shutdown — with President Donald Trump saying that layoffs are
occurring.
Asked on Sunday night when federal workers would be fired as he has
threatened to do, Trump told reporters: “It's taking place right now and
it's all because of the Democrats.”
“The Democrats are causing the loss of a lot of jobs,” Trump added,
declining to answer a question about which agencies are subject to the
cuts.
The possibility of layoffs would escalate an already tense situation in
which Washington lawmakers have struggled to find common ground and
build mutual trust. Leaders in both parties are betting that public
sentiment has swung their way, putting pressure on the other side to
cave.
Democrats are insisting on renewing subsidies to cover health insurance
costs for millions of households, while Trump wants to preserve existing
spending levels as he believes that Democrats will have to cave because
of the jobs and federal projects being put at risk.
The squabble comes at a moment of troubling economic uncertainty. While
the U.S. economy has continued to grow this year, hiring has slowed and
inflation remains elevated as Trump's import taxes have created a series
of disruptions for businesses and hurt confidence in his leadership. At
the same time, there is a recognition that the nearly $2 trillion annual
budget deficit is financially unsustainable.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, among those appearing on the
Sunday news shows, said there have been no talks with Republican leaders
since their White House meeting last Monday.
“And, unfortunately, since that point in time, Republicans, including
Donald Trump, have gone radio silent,” Jeffries said. “And what we’ve
seen is negotiation through deepfake videos, the House canceling votes,
and of course President Trump spending yesterday on the golf course.
That’s not responsible behavior.”
The Trump administration sees the shutdown as an opening to wield
greater power over the budget, with multiple officials saying they will
save money as workers are furloughed by imposing permanent job cuts on
thousands of government workers, a tactic that has never been used
before.
Even though it would be Trump's choice to cut jobs, he believes he can
put the blame on the Democrats because of the shutdown.
“It’s up to them,” Trump told reporters on Sunday morning before
boarding the presidential helicopter to celebrate the Navy's 250th
anniversary in Norfolk, Virginia.
While Trump rose to fame on the TV show “The Apprentice” with its
catchphrase of “You're fired,” Republicans on Sunday claimed that the
administration would take no pleasure in letting go of federal workers,
even though the administration had also put funding on hold for
infrastructure and energy projects in Democratic areas without clear
signs of remorse.
“We haven’t seen the details yet about what’s happening” with layoffs,
House Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday morning on NBC. “But it is a
regrettable situation that the president does not want.”
Kevin Hassett, director of the White House National Economic Council,
also said the administration would prefer to avoid the layoffs.
“We want the Democrats to come forward and to make a deal that’s a
clean, continuing resolution that gives us seven more weeks to talk
about these things,” Hassett said on CNN. “But the bottom line is that
with Republicans in control, the Republicans have a lot more power over
the outcome than the Democrats.”
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House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., speaks to reporters
on the Capitol Hill, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025, in Washington. (AP
Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff of California defended his party's
stance on the shutdown, saying on NBC that the possible increase in
health care costs for “millions of Americans” would make insurance
unaffordable in what he called a “crisis.”
But Schiff also noted that the Trump administration has stopped
congressionally approved spending from being used. That essentially
undermines the value of Democrats trying to seek compromises on the
budget since the administration could block the spending of money
from any deal. The Trump administration sent Congress roughly $4.9
billion in “ pocket rescissions ” on foreign aid, a process that
meant the spending was withheld without time for Congress to weigh
in before the previous fiscal year ended last month.
“We need both to address the health care crisis and we need some
written assurance in the law — I won’t take a promise — that they’re
not going to renege on any deal we make,” Schiff said.
The television appearances indicated that Democrats and Republicans
are busy talking, deploying internet memes against each other that
have raised concerns about whether it's possible to negotiate in
good faith.
Vice President JD Vance said a video putting Jeffries in a sombrero
and thick mustache was simply a joke, even though it came across as
mocking people of Mexican descent as Republicans insist that the
Democratic demands would lead to health care spending on immigrants
in the country illegally, a claim that Democrats dispute.
Immigrants in the U.S. illegally are not eligible for any federal
health care programs, including insurance provided through the
Affordable Care Act and Medicaid. Still, hospitals do receive
Medicaid reimbursements for emergency care that they are obligated
to provide to people who meet other Medicaid eligibility
requirements but do not have an eligible immigration status.
The challenge, however, is that the two parties do not appear to be
having productive conversations with each other in private, even as
Republicans insist they are in conversation with their Democratic
colleagues.
On Friday, a Senate vote to advance a Republican bill that would
reopen the government failed to notch the necessary 60 votes to end
a filibuster. Johnson said the House would close for legislative
business next week, a strategy that could obligate the Senate to
work with the government funding bill that was passed by House
Republicans.
“Johnson’s not serious about this,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck
Schumer said on CBS. “He sent all his congressmen home last week and
home this week. How are you going to negotiate?”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Sunday that the shutdown on
discretionary spending, the furloughing of federal workers and
requirements that other federal employees work without pay will go
on so long as Democrats vote no.
“They’ll get another chance on Monday to vote again,” Thune said on
Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures.”
“And I’m hoping that some of them have a change of heart," he said.
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