Trump administration dials up heat on Democrats as government shutdown set to enter third week

Emily Hallas, Washington Examiner

The White House is seeking to put Democrats on the defensive and pressure the opposition

into backing a measure to open up Washington, as the government shutdown heads into its third week. OMB Director Russ Vought announced on Friday that the Trump administration has begun laying off federal workers. The White House has framed the cuts as Democrats’ fault due to accusations the party could have stopped such “reductions in force,” or RIFs, if they had lifted a block in the Senate on House Speaker Mike Johnson’s continuing resolution.