The Trump administration is escalating the stakes of Washington’s spending standoff as a partial government shutdown enters its eighth day, still with no sign of Democrats working to end it.
According to plans reviewed by Fox News Digital, the White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is exploring whether furloughed federal workers will automatically receive backpay once the shutdown ends — a break from a 2019 law passed under President Trump that guaranteed those payments. The move highlights a new approach: one focused on fiscal responsibility and cutting government bloat instead of rubber-stamping taxpayer-funded pay for jobs that may no longer be necessary.
Trump: Democrats Responsible for the Crisis
Speaking Tuesday alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, President Trump forcefully pushed back on Democratic efforts to blame Republicans for the spending impasse.
“This is like a kamikaze attack. They have nothing to lose,” Trump said of Democrats, calling out their refusal to negotiate.
Trump also signaled that backpay decisions could depend on job function, saying, “For the most part, we’re going to take care of our people. There are some people that really don’t deserve to be taken care of.”
By tying backpay to necessity, the administration is underscoring its broader plan to trim waste and streamline federal operations after years of unchecked growth.
Democrats Block Short-Term Funding Bill
The shutdown began Oct. 1 after Democrats refused to support a stopgap spending bill aimed at keeping the government open through Nov. 21. While the House had already passed the temporary measure in September, Senate Democrats successfully filibustered it — despite three of their members breaking ranks to vote with Republicans.
At the center of the dispute: Democrats’ push to expand Obamacare subsidies and undo provisions of Trump’s signature tax and domestic policy reforms. Republicans have argued that Democrats’ demands would lead to increased spending on illegal immigrants’ health care and further drive up costs for working Americans.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) instead accused Republicans of creating a “health care crisis,” a claim GOP lawmakers dismissed as a distraction from Democrats’ failure to keep the government funded.
White House: ‘Everyone Is Paying the Price for Democrats’ Radical Demands’
The White House emphasized the shutdown’s real-world consequences in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“Whether it’s our brave military members working without pay, business owners missing out on previously promised contract work, or families dealing with flight delays — everyone is paying the price for the Democrats’ radical demands,” said spokesperson Abigail Jackson.
OMB had already asked agencies in September to prepare for possible reductions-in-force, signaling Trump’s commitment to reshaping the federal workforce and eliminating redundant or unnecessary roles. “We have a lot of things that we’re going to eliminate and permanently eliminate,” the president said Tuesday.
Next Steps
The Senate is preparing for another vote on a short-term spending bill Wednesday, but Democrats have given no sign they’ll back off their spending wish list. Meanwhile, Trump appears ready to use the moment to push for long-promised government reform and fiscal discipline.
