Senior Republicans were spotted fine dining on the first night of the U.S. government shutdown, which has seen hundreds of thousands of federal workers furloughed.
Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso was spotted with other GOP figures dining in Capitol Hill hotspot Bistro Cacao, where a bottle of wine can set you back $750, according to Politico Playbook.
They were spied on the first night of a government shutdown which has continued into its second day, with no votes on spending bills expected until Friday.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump said “billions” of dollars will be saved by the U.S. government shutdown as he called for a clear out of “deadwood” federal workers in a late night Truth Social post.
“Republicans must use this opportunity of Democrat forced closure to clear out dead wood, waste, and fraud,” Trump said. “Billions of Dollars can be saved. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
The shutdown began at midnight Wednesday, after the GOP put forth a bill to fund federal agencies that was already approved by the House. It failed 55 to 45 in the Senate, five shy of the 60 votes needed. The Senate is scheduled to take another vote Friday afternoon.
GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN UPDATES
- Trump calls on Republicans to 'clear out dead wood' and save 'billions'
- Government shutdown: What to know
- Trump’s budget chief says federal firings will come in ‘one to two’ days
- Congress will be paid during shutdown - while essential workers miss paychecks
- AOC says Republicans are 'weaker than they look'
Trump and government agencies are using taxpayer dollars to blame Democrats for the shutdown. Is it legal?
14:09 , Alex CroftFrom inside the White House to the banners plastered on government websites, Donald Trump and administration officials are explicitly blaming Democratic members of Congress for the federal shutdown.
Watchdog groups say the statements are in apparent defiance of ethics laws that prohibit political attacks and campaigning from inside federal facilities — which the president has continued to do since entering office without facing any consequences.
“The Radical Left in Congress shut down the government,” according to a large pop-up message and a bright red banner on the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s website.
Alex Woodward reports:
Trump is using taxpayer dollars to blame Democrats for the shutdown. Is it legal?
Democrat says she trusts Chuck Schumer's leadership
13:45 , Alex CroftSenator Tina Smith, a Minnesota Democrat, has said she trusts Chuck Schumer’s leadership as the party digs in their heels amid the government shutdown.
Democrats are demanding the reversal of cuts to Medicaid, set out earlier this year in Trump’s “One Big, Beautiful, Bill,” and an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies to support a spending plan.
When asked by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Wednesday night if she trusts Senator Schumer’s leadership, Smith said, “ I do trust Chuck's leadership on this. I think he's been very strong. I think the caucus is almost completely united around him.
“And we all feel like this is a very important moment to really be fighting for something that's gonna make a big difference to our constituents.”
Many tourist attractions closed due to government shutdown
13:19 , Alex CroftThe Independent’s travel correspondent Simon Calder reports:
The range of tourist attractions closed as a result of the government shutdown is becoming clearer. America’s greatest collection of museums, the Smithsonian in Washington DC, says its venues as well as the National Zoo in the capital will remain open until next Monday, 6 October, using “prior-year funds”. But there is no certainty after that.
Many other government venues, such as the Capitol Visitor Center and Library of Congress in Washington DC, are closed.
In St Louis, access to the top of the symbolic Gateway Arch beside the Mississippi is closed. Prospective visitors are told: “All Gateway Arch ticketing and tram operations are suspended.” Ironically, British Airways yesterday announced a new link from London to the Missouri city.
The nearby Harry S Truman Presidential Library and Museum is closed, while the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin, Texas will remain open until 15 October.
The JFK Presidential Library in Boston tells prospective visitors: “Due to the shutdown of the federal government, National Archives facilities are closed.”
In New York City, both the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island remain open – after the Trump administration provided funds in a row with the New York State governor, Kathy Hochul.
The US Travel Association, representing the travel industry, says: “The travel economy is at risk of losing $1 billion a week due to disruptions in air and rail travel and the closure of national parks and museums.”
GOP leaders spotted at fine dining hotspot on first night of shutdown
12:55 , Alex CroftSenior Republicans were seen fine dining at a swanky Capitol Hill restaurant on Wednesday evening, as hundreds of thousands of federal workers were place on furlough in the government shutdown.
Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso was spotted with other GOP figures dining in Bistro Cacao, according to Politico Playbook’s Adam Wren.
Filet mignon and magret de canard go for $45 a head in the Washington, D.C. hotspot. A bottle of wine can set you back $750.
Congressmen will continue to be paid throughout the shutdown, while federal workers could miss several paychecks depending on how long it lasts.
Exclusive | How federal government shutdown will impact visitors to US
12:29 , Alex CroftOn 1 October 2025 at one minute past midnight local time in Washington DC, a shutdown of the US federal government began.
The Democrats refused to vote for President Trump’s bill to continue federal spending without an extension of health care tax credits.
The White House website currently says “Democrats Have Shut Down the Government”.
The political paralysis in Washington DC will affect tourists to the US, whether they hope to explore the museums in the American capital or the natural wonders of the national parks.
The Independent’s travel correspondent Simon Calder covers the key impacts for travellers:
White House cancels $8 billion energy funding amid shutdown
12:00 , Alex CroftThe White House has cancelled $8 billion in funding for energy programs which it claims “fuel the Left’s climate agenda, Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought said.
"Nearly $8 billion in Green New Scam funding to fuel the Left's climate agenda is being cancelled," Vought said in a social media post.
"The projects are in the following states: CA, CO, CT, DE, HI, IL, MD, MA, MN, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OR, VT, WA," he said, adding that more details would come from the Department of Energy.
The states listed by Vought all have at least one Democratic senator voting against a clean continuing resolution in order to fund the government, ABC reported.
JD Vance blames Democrats for 'holding American people hostage' to shutdown so Schumer can fight off AOC
11:46 , Alex CroftHouser Minority Leader says he hasn't heard from Trump since Monday
11:01 , Alex CroftHouse Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has said that he hasn’t heard from the White House since a meeting with President Trump and other congressional leaders on Monday.
Speaking to CNN’s Jake Tapper on ‘The Lead’, Jeffries said: “We haven’t heard from the White House since the White House meeting on Monday.
The president has been behaving, you know, somewhat erratically and in [an] unconventional fashion in the context of the government shutting down.
“Clearly, they wanted to shut the government down, unfortunately.
We’re ready to work together to bring it back open, but to do it in a way where we enact a spending agreement that’s bipartisan, that meets the needs of the American people, while at the same time addresses the Republican health care crisis that is devastating everyday Americans all across the country.”
Congress will be paid during shutdown - while essential workers miss paychecks
10:28 , Alex CroftMembers of congress will continue receiving their paychecks during the US government shutdown - while hundreds of thousands of other federal workers will remain unpaid until the service is resumed as normal.
Thousands of essential workers, such as TSA agents and air traffic controllers, will remain on job during the shutdown.
But many essential employees won’t receive payment until funding resumes, meaning they could miss multiple paychecks, depending on how long the shutdown lasts.
But members of Congress will be paid throughout, while postal workers will also be paid - as the U.S. Postal Service is a self-funded agency.
All furloughed federal workers will be provided retroactive pay once operations resume, thanks to a 2019 law.
Trump calls on Republicans to 'clear out dead wood'
09:59 , Alex CroftIn a late night Truth Social post, Donald Trump has called on the Democrats to “clear out dead wood” after the US government shutdown.
The Trump administration have said suggested they might use the government shutdown to lay off a number of federal workers, in a move the president says would “get rid of” `Democratic policies.
Here’s what President Trump wrote:
Republicans must use this opportunity of Democrat forced closure to clear out dead wood, waste, and fraud. Billions of Dollars can be saved. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
Which essential government services will continue despite the shutdown
09:30 , Alex CroftThe Antideficiency Act includes explicit exceptions for “emergencies involving the safety of human life or the protection of property.”
Hence, when the government “shuts down,” federal law enforcers will keep up their investigations and border agents will stay on patrol. The CIA and NSA will continue their snooping.
The National Weather Service will keep its eyes on the skies, albeit with a skeleton crew, as will air traffic controllers. The TSA will also continue to scan your body parts and require you to remove your shoes.
Programs that are self-funding or funded by means other than annual appropriations usually continue. That includes the USPS, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
Benjamin Civiletti’s memo back in the 1980s also ruled that the president’s constitutional duties were unaffected by shutdowns. That argument has since been extended to court employees, members of Congress, and aides who support them in their essential activities. So those will keep running.
Fortunately for Congress and the President, their salaries will continue to be paid, as mandated by the Constitution.
What is a government shutdown?
09:00 , Rachel DobkinThe U.S. government has once again been sent into shutdown.
For the 21st time in the past 50 years, Congress has not been able to reach an agreement on funding for federal agencies, despite negotiations stretching late into Tuesday night.
The U.S. Constitution hands Congress the sole power of the purse. “No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury,” reads Article I, “but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law.”
Under the Antideficiency Act, passed in 1884 and amended in 1950, the government is also prohibited from incurring expenses that Congress hasn’t already appropriated. The idea was to prevent federal departments from forcing Congress’s hand by deliberately blowing their entire budget early in the year, which used to happen frequently.
For a while, the U.S. government operated on the assumption that Congress couldn’t possibly have meant this to cover routine annual budgets. However, in 1980 and 1981, Jimmy Carter’s attorney general, Benjamin Civiletti, ruled that, in fact, it did — meaning all non-emergency work had to stop as soon as the funds ran out.
How long this lasts is anyone’s guess: the shortest shutdowns last only a day or a few hours. The longest was in 2018-19, during Trump’s first term, which lasted 34 days and wiped an estimated $6 billion or more off the country’s economy.
Read more from Io Dodds about how the shutdown will impact most Americans:
What is a government shutdown? Here’s how it will impact most Americans
Watch: Senate Republicans react to possible federal firings
08:00 , Rachel DobkinRon Johnson on federal firings: “That’s what happens in the private sector all the time. I don't know why public sector employees ought to be immune from that process. But it's completely unnecessary.”
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) October 1, 2025
Curtis says if crisis drags on, it “does give the president that opportunity” pic.twitter.com/eZ0e2FvlHx
Trump’s budget chief says federal firings will come in ‘one to two’ days amid government shutdown
07:00 , Rachel DobkinRussell Vought, the head of the Office of Management and Budget, reportedly told House Republicans on Wednesday that the Trump administration would begin firing federal workers in “one to two” days.
Less than a day into the government shutdown, Vought signaled that the administration was keeping its promise to use this time to get rid of more federal employees – a continuation of their goal to slash the federal workforce that began earlier this year.
In a call with House Republicans, Vought said those firings could begin starting Thursday or Friday, multiple sources told NBC News, Punchbowl, Politico, and more.
Vought, an architect of Project 2025, did not specify where the firings would begin, such as a specific department or specific type of employee. Earlier this year, probationary employees, or those who are newly in their position, were among the first to be fired.
Read more from Ariana Baio:
Vought says federal firings will come in ‘one to two’ days amid government shutdown
Watch: Elizabeth Warren reacts to Trump admin pausing New York infrastructure projects
06:00 , Rachel DobkinSenator Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, reacted to the Trump administration pausing infrastructure projects in New York in an MSNBC interview Wednesday night.
Elizabeth Warren: "The president said 'I am going to impose a lot more pain on my fellow American citizens. I'm going to impose a lot more pain on people in NY who need to use those tunnels so I can get my way politically.' To me, that is a place to stop and say, then we're ready… pic.twitter.com/uZlnONVd3C
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 2, 2025
Russ Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, announced Wednesday morning, roughly $18 billion in New York City’s Hudson Tunnel Project and Second Ave Subway have been put on hold because of “DEI principles.”
Hesgseth ramps up war against leakers by introducing lie detector tests and NDAs to Pentagon, report says
05:30 , Rachel DobkinThe Pentagon plans to introduce mandatory non-disclosure agreements and lie detector tests for thousands of people, a new report reveals.
Under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the Pentagon plans to require that some staff sign NDAs that prohibit the “release of non-public information without approval or through a defined process” and subsequently take random polygraph tests, according to a draft memo from Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg reviewed by The Washington Post.
“The protection of sensitive information is paramount to our national security, the safety of our warfighters, and the preservation of critical decision space for our senior leaders,” Feinberg wrote.
The new orders would apply to an estimated 5,000 people working in the Office of the Defense Secretary and the Joint Staff, including military service members, civilian employees and contractors, the Post reports.
Read more from Katie Hawkinson:
Hesgseth plans to introduce NDAs and random lie detector tests: report
Senate GOP leader leaves door open on talks about healthcare negotiations
05:00 , Rachel DobkinSenate Majority Leader John Thune has left the door open on talks about the healthcare negotiations that Democrats want amid the government shutdown.
Thune said he’s willing to talk about how a negotiation on Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire at the end of the year might work once the government is open if a “critical mass” of Democrats back the GOP’s funding bill.
“I keep telling them: When they have eight or 10 — preferably 10, or more — when they have a critical mass, let me know if there’s a conversation they want to have,” Thune told Politico.
Democrats have demanded the reversal of cuts to Medicaid, set out earlier this year in Trump’s “One Big, Beautiful, Bill,” and an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies to support a spending plan.
Watch: Jasmine Crockett calls federal messaging blaming Democrats for shutdown 'illegal'
04:40 , Rachel DobkinRepresentative Jasmine Crockett, a Texas Democrat, called federal messaging blaming Democrats for the government shutdown “illegal” in a CNN interview Wednesday night.
Collins: Do you think they are being more effective in their messaging?
— Acyn (@Acyn) October 2, 2025
Crockett: I think they're being a lot more illegal in their messaging. The first thing that I wanted to know was, how can this not be a violation of the hatch act in some way? Right. Because we are not… pic.twitter.com/3nbwrdK1th
Ted Cruz trolls Democrat senators who voted against GOP funding bill
04:20 , Rachel DobkinSenator Ted Cruz, a Texas Democrat, trolled Democrat senators who voted against a GOP funding bill to keep the government open.
Cruz took a page out of President Donald Trump’s playbook by digitally adding sombreros and handlebar mustaches to the lawmakers’ faces. Trump posted two AI-generated videos depicting House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in a similar fashion.
The 44 Senate Democrats who voted for Schumer’s Shutdown should know that the Sombrero posting will continue until they re-open our government.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) October 2, 2025
🎶 Hey, Macarena! 🎶 pic.twitter.com/coNBfnGXcY
The trolling seems to be geared toward the Republicans baseless claim that Democrats are demanding undocumented immigrants get free healthcare as they push to reverse Medicaid cuts, set out earlier this year in Trump’s “One Big, Beautiful, Bill,” and an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies in exchange for their support on a funding bill.
Trump has faced backlash for these videos, which critics call racist, but Vice President JD Vance shrugged them off as “funny.”
Watch: CNN host confronts Republican about Trump admin pausing infrastructure projects
04:00 , Rachel DobkinCNN’s Kaitlan Collins confronted Representative Mike Lawler, a New York Republican, about the Trump administration pausing infrastructure projects in his state.
MIKE LAWLER: They are playing pure politics here and it has to stop
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 2, 2025
COLLINS: You don't think the administration is playing politics by only canceling projects in states that Democrats run?
LAWLER: Listen, I'm in New York and I'm a Republican and obviously this project… pic.twitter.com/p2zkLX5V0Q
Russ Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, announced Wednesday morning, roughly $18 billion in New York City’s Hudson Tunnel Project and Second Ave Subway have been put on hold because of “DEI principles.”
Vought later announced nearly $8 billion in climate-related projects in 16 states were being canceled.
Nearly $8 billion in Green New Scam funding to fuel the Left's climate agenda is being cancelled. More info to come from @ENERGY.
— Russ Vought (@russvought) October 1, 2025
The projects are in the following states: CA, CO, CT, DE, HI, IL, MD, MA, MN, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OR, VT, WA
Watch: Democrat urges colleagues to 'find a resolution' amid government shutdown
03:40 , Rachel DobkinSenator Jeanne Shaheen, a New Hampshire Democrat, has urged her colleagues to “find a resolution” amid the government shutdown.
When I talk to my Republican colleagues, they understand that neither a government shutdown nor kicking millions of Americans off their health insurance is in the best interest of this country.
— Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (@SenatorShaheen) October 1, 2025
It's time to work together, find a compromise and get this done. pic.twitter.com/Pu3CH5T2Ar
Democrat says she trusts Chuck Schumer's leadership
03:20 , Rachel DobkinSenator Tina Smith, a Minnesota Democrat, has said she trusts Chuck Schumer’s leadership as the party digs in their heels amid the government shutdown.
Democrats are demanding the reversal of cuts to Medicaid, set out earlier this year in Trump’s “One Big, Beautiful, Bill,” and an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies to support a spending plan.
When asked by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Wednesday night if she trusts Senator Schumer’s leadership, Smith said, “ I do trust Chuck's leadership on this. I think he's been very strong. I think the caucus is almost completely united around him.
“And we all feel like this is a very important moment to really be fighting for something that's gonna make a big difference to our constituents.”
CNN host confronts Hakeem Jeffries over healthcare for undocumented immigrants
03:00 , Rachel DobkinCNN’s Jake Tapper has confronted House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries over healthcare for undocumented immigrants.
As Democrats push to reverse cuts to Medicaid, set out earlier this year in Trump’s “One Big, Beautiful, Bill,” Republicans have accused them of trying to fund healthcare for undocumented immigrants, despite the group not being eligible for federal healthcare programs, aside from emergency services.
“What you support does bring back funding for emergency Medicaid to hospitals, some of which does pay for undocumented immigrants and people who don't have health insurance,” Tapper told Jeffries in a Wednesday interview, “ Why even include that in a bill knowing that they're going to seize right upon that?”
Fake Tapper presses Hakeem Jeffries on shutting down the government over free health care for illegals: "What you support does bring back funding for emergency Medicaid to hospitals — some of which does pay for undocumented immigrants and also... non-citizens." pic.twitter.com/s0jbaQCgQW
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 1, 2025
Jeffries responded: “What we're doing is fighting to protect the healthcare of the American people against the largest cut to Medicaid ever. 14 million American citizens are gonna lose their healthcare as a result of what Republicans [did].”
“ By the way, current federal law is clear. Taxpayer dollars cannot be spent on Medicaid, Medicare, or the Affordable Care Act related to undocumented immigrants. And not a single Democrat has raised the issue of trying to reverse that federal law,” the Democratic leader added.
The 14 million figure also factors in Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire by the end of the year. Democrats are also pushing Republicans to extend these subsidies.
Rep-elect Adelita Grijalva to be sworn in next week
02:46 , Rachel DobkinRepresentative-elect Adelita Grijalva of Arizona will be sworn into office next week, House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office confirmed to CNN Wednesday night.
Grijalva is expected to be a pivotal supporter in House Democrats’ push to release files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Some Republicans have also supported the effort.
Why have Senators left D.C.?
02:20 , Rachel DobkinSenators are leaving Washington, D.C., until Friday as Congress takes off for the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur.
The holiday just happens to fall during a government shutdown as the Senate struggles to pass a funding bill to keep the lights on.
“ Everybody will be back next week. We have the Jewish high holiday of Yom Kippur on Wednesday and Thursday. We were never intended or scheduled to be in session on those days,” House Speaker Mike Johnson told CNN Tuesday.
He continued: “Friday would really be the only day to do any legislative business, but if the government's shut down, there's not a big point. There's not a lot of floor activity that can be had until we open the government again.”
Watch: Republican explains why he's not in favor of extending ACA subsidies
02:00 , Rachel DobkinSteve Daines, a Montana Republican, has said he's not in favor of extending Affordable Care Act subsidies.
“This was always meant to be a temporary, emergency Covid-era subsidy. It’s a $350 billion price tag, and it is absolutely rife with fraud, waste and abuse,” Daines told CNBC. “It is not a good idea to extend it. We don't deny the fact there are increases coming in healthcare costs and insurance premiums.”
Q: Are you in favor of extending the ACA subsidies?
— FactPost (@factpostnews) October 1, 2025
GOP Senator: I'm not. It is not a good idea to extend it. We don't deny the fact there are increases coming in health care costs and insurance premiums. pic.twitter.com/eZGU41aW5F
White House budget office announces billions in federal funding cut or paused
01:40 , Rachel DobkinThe White House budget office has announced billions in federal funding has been cut or paused during the first day of the government shutdown.
Russ Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, wrote on X Wednesday morning, roughly $18 billion in New York City’s Hudson Tunnel Project and Second Ave Subway have been put on hold because of “DEI principles.”
Specifically, the Hudson Tunnel Project and the Second Ave Subway. https://t.co/pR3W4JWmh2
— Russ Vought (@russvought) October 1, 2025
Vought later announced nearly $8 billion in climate-related projects in 16 states were being canceled.
Nearly $8 billion in Green New Scam funding to fuel the Left's climate agenda is being cancelled. More info to come from @ENERGY.
— Russ Vought (@russvought) October 1, 2025
The projects are in the following states: CA, CO, CT, DE, HI, IL, MD, MA, MN, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OR, VT, WA
Republican said he's 'not nuts' for layoffs amid shutdown
01:20 , Rachel DobkinSenator Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota Republican, told CNN Wednesday he's “not nuts” about impending layoffs of federal workers.
GOP Sen. Kevin Cramer on WH plan for mass federal firings: “I’m not nuts for it. … There’s the political ramifications that could cause backlash…It makes everything going forward more difficult for us” on votes
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) October 1, 2025
“I just don’t like squandering that political capital,” he told me pic.twitter.com/HpeoDTIgbc
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday layoffs of federal workers are “imminent” amid the government shutdown.
Secret Service issues notice that social media 'will not be actively managed' amid government shutdown
01:00 , Rachel DobkinNOTICE: This social media account will not be actively managed during the lapse in Federal funding. We will not be able to respond or update until after funding is enacted. https://t.co/x2Td3VDXSj pic.twitter.com/8XPiukDI3B
— U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) October 1, 2025
Trump and government agencies are using taxpayer dollars to blame Democrats for the shutdown. Is it legal?
Thursday 2 October 2025 00:40 , Rachel DobkinFrom inside the White House to the banners plastered on government websites, Donald Trump and administration officials are explicitly blaming Democratic members of Congress for the federal shutdown.
Watchdog groups say the statements are in apparent defiance of ethics laws that prohibit political attacks and campaigning from inside federal facilities — which the president has continued to do since entering office without facing any consequences.
“The Radical Left in Congress shut down the government,” according to a large pop-up message and a bright red banner on the Department of Housing and Urban Development's website.
Another message at the top of the Department of Justice website says, “Democrats have shut down the government.”
Read more from Alex Woodward:
Trump is using taxpayer dollars to blame Democrats for the shutdown. Is it legal?
Government shutdown: What to know
Thursday 2 October 2025 00:29 , Rachel Dobkin- The government shut down at midnight Wednesday after the Senate failed to pass a Republican short-term bill to fund federal agencies.
- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday layoffs of federal workers are “imminent.”
- Democrats and Republicans have pinned the shutdown on each other.
- Democrats demand the reversal of cuts to Medicaid, set out earlier this year in Trump’s “One Big, Beautiful, Bill,” and an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies to support a spending plan.
- Republicans have claimed that Democrats are trying to fund healthcare for undocumented immigrants, despite the group not being eligible for federal healthcare programs, aside from emergency services.
AOC says Republicans are 'weaker than they look' after grim Trump approval rating
Thursday 2 October 2025 00:20 , Rachel DobkinRepresentative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, says Republicans are “weaker than they look” after President Donald Trump received a grim approval rating in Pennsylvania.
They are weaker than they look.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) October 1, 2025
We can fight, and we can win.
People’s healthcare is too important to give up on. https://t.co/PcSJZ1hMUU
A Quinnipiac poll released Wednesday shows 43 percent of Pennsylvania registered voters approve of Trump’s handling of his job, while 54 percent disapprove.
Republican says Texans are 'cheering us on' during shutdown
Thursday 2 October 2025 00:20 , Rachel DobkinSenator John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, told The Independent’s Eric Garcia, Wednesday his constituents are “cheering us on” during the government shutdown.
On Texans' views of the government shutdown, John Cornyn tells me "Well, most of them are cheering us on. They like they like the idea that governments shut down, they think it's too big anyway.”
— Eric Michael Garcia (@EricMGarcia) October 1, 2025
Newsom trolls ‘Marie Antoinette’ Trump over decision to protect his ballroom while pushing cuts
Thursday 2 October 2025 00:00 , Rachel DobkinGavin Newsom has trolled Donald Trump over the news that work will continue on his presidential ballroom through the government shutdown, comparing him to the historical French queen Marie Antoinette.
“TRUMP “MARIE ANTOINETTE” SAYS, “NO HEALTH CARE FOR YOU PEASANTS, BUT A BALLROOM FOR THE QUEEN!” the California governor’s press office wrote on X, alongside an AI-generated picture.
The image shows Trump dressed in the 18th Century dress and wig of the French aristocracy as worn by Marie Antoinette – who became a symbol of selfish luxury at a time when her people were going hungry. Newsom has repeatedly parodied the president’s trademark, all-caps posts multiple times previously.
The Governor's most recent dig comes after it was revealed that work would continue on Trump’s new White House ballroom, despite the shuttering of multiple federal agencies due to the impasse between Republicans and Democrats on a proposed spending bill.
Read more from Mike Bedigan:
Newsom trolls ‘Marie Antoinette’ Trump over decision to protect ballroom amid layoffs
Mike Johnson says programs that don't match Trump's priorities will be 'at the top of the list' to cut
Wednesday 1 October 2025 23:40 , Rachel DobkinHouse Speaker Mike Johnson has said programs that don't match President Donald Trump's priorities will be “at the top of the list” to cut amid the government shutdown.
Speaking about a call Johnson and other House Republicans had with Russell Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, Wednesday, the speaker told the NOTUS news site, “Obviously he’s going to put at the top of the list programs that do not comport with the president’s priorities.”
Multiple sources on the call told NOTUS Vought plans to send reductions in force to federal agencies starting in “one to two days” and that the layoffs would be “consequential.”
Watch: Ted Cruz thinks Trump getting rid of 'left-wing bureaucrats' amid shutdown is 'fantastic'
Wednesday 1 October 2025 23:20 , Rachel DobkinSenator Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, told Fox Business Wednesday President Donald Trump will use the government shutdown to “get rid of left-wing bureaucrats,” and called it “fantastic.”
Ted Cruz: "President Trump is going to use that as an opportunity not to tell people you're furloughed for a few days, but instead to send pink slips and to get rid of left-wing bureaucrats who are imposing left-wing priorities that are contrary to President Trump's priorities. I… pic.twitter.com/cuPQbLxyvT
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 1, 2025
Donald Trump rails at Rep. Maxine Waters over healthcare for undocumented immigrants
Wednesday 1 October 2025 23:00 , Rachel DobkinPresident Donald Trump has railed against Representative Maxine Waters, a California Democrat, over healthcare for undocumented immigrants.
“Maxine Waters admitted that she is demanding Healthcare for Illegal Aliens, and it’s going to be Top of the Line, taking American Taxpayers’ Healthcare away from them!” Trump wrote on Truth Social late Wednesday afternoon.
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 1, 2025
Waters confronted a reporter Tuesday about Republicans' claim that Democrats want to give undocumented immigrants free healthcare, despite the group not being eligible for federal healthcare programs, aside from emergency services.
“Are Democrats demanding healthcare for illegal aliens?” LindellTV reporter Alison Steinberg asked Waters, per Mediaite.
Waters replied: “Democrats are demanding healthcare for everybody. We want to save lives. We want to make sure that healthcare is available to those who would die [without] having, having the help of their government.”
Democrats are demanding the reversal of cuts to Medicaid, set out earlier this year in Trump’s “One Big, Beautiful, Bill,” and an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies in order to support a bill to fund federal agencies and keep the government open.
As Trump threatens mass layoffs during government shutdown, agency begins using AI lawnmowers
Wednesday 1 October 2025 22:40 , Rachel DobkinAs President Donald Trump threatens mass layoffs over the government shutdown, the Interior Department has announced it’s using lawnmowers powered by artificial intelligence.
The Interior Department is testing out AI-powered lawnmowers at six national parks, including on the National Mall, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum wrote Tuesday on X. The pilot program is funded by a grant from the National Park Foundation, according to Jeff Gowen, manager of the agency’s Technical Services Division.
"The premise of the entire grant is to test new technologies to see how it can help us become more efficient, allow us to get more work done with the same amount of people," Gowen said.
The announcement came the same day Trump threatened to lay off federal employees in the event of a government shutdown, which went into effect Wednesday at midnight after the Senate failed to pass a bill averting it.
Read more from Katie Hawkinson:
As Trump threatens mass layoffs during shutdown, agency begins using AI lawnmowers
Hakeem Jeffries has a message for JD Vance about 'surrendering' during the shutdown: 'Not happening Bro'
Wednesday 1 October 2025 22:23 , Rachel DobkinHouse Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries has a message for Vice President JD Vance, who “thinks we will surrender to the Republican effort to gut healthcare” amid a government shutdown: “Not happening Bro.”
Jeffries included an edited video of Vance at a press briefing Wednesday.
JD Vance thinks we will surrender to the Republican effort to gut healthcare because of a Sombrero meme.
— Hakeem Jeffries (@hakeemjeffries) October 1, 2025
Not happening Bro. pic.twitter.com/TDVpPSSG6A
In the clip, a reporter asks about AI-generated videos President Donald Trump has been posting with Jefferies in a sombrero and with a handlebar mustache.
“Is it helpful to post pictures of Leader Jeffries in a sombrero if you’re trying to have good faith talks with him?” the reporter asked.
Vance said the videos were “funny,” adding, “You can negotiate in good faith while also posking a little bit of fun at some of the absurdities of the Democrats’ positions.”
When Vance started giving his response in the clip, his face was digitally covered with a meme of his face blown up in size.
Democrats are demanding the reversal of cuts to Medicaid, set out earlier this year in Trump’s “One Big, Beautiful, Bill,” and an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies in order to support a bill to fund federal agencies and keep the government open.
Republicans have claimed that Democrats are trying to fund healthcare for undocumented immigrants, despite the group not being eligible for federal healthcare programs, aside from emergency services.
Senate won't hold votes on spending bills until Friday
Wednesday 1 October 2025 22:00 , Eric GarciaThe Senate will hold no more votes on spending bills until Friday, as Senators from both parties leave Washington as a government shutdown begins.
On Wednesday, the Senate held another vote on the stopgap spending bill Republicans passed through the House of Representatives, known as a "continuing resolution."
But Democrats want the stopgap spending bill to extend subsidies for the Affordable Care Act that the Biden administration expanded during the Covid-19 pandemic. Democrats argue this is their chance to keep the subsidies before open enrollment in the Affordable Care Act's health insurance marketplace and avoid a premium spike.
"What are our constituents supposed to do when they're seeing dramatic increases in health care costs and they're coming at them right now?" Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) told The Independent.
This comes despite the fact that the Trump administration has said layoffs for federal workers would be "imminent." Some Republicans were saying they would be ready to negotiate once the government reopens.
"I would just say that, listen, I mean, these tactics are very destructive. This is very and it's destructive for not just for relationships, but for real people," Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) told The Independent.
But even as votes ended, a bipartisan coterie of senators began to huddle on the floor toward the afternoon.
Analysis: Buckle up, America — Republicans and Democrats appear dug in for a long government shutdown
Wednesday 1 October 2025 21:47 , Mike Bedigan
Buckle up — Republicans and Democrats appear dug in for a long government shutdown
Newsom trolls Trump over ongoing work on White House ballroom despite shutdown
Wednesday 1 October 2025 21:35 , Mike BediganTRUMP “MARIE ANTOINETTE” SAYS, “NO HEALTH CARE FOR YOU PEASANTS, BUT A BALLROOM FOR THE QUEEN!” pic.twitter.com/u8o6dSsIhW
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) October 1, 2025
Justice Department asks judges to freeze dozens of court cases during government shutdown
Wednesday 1 October 2025 21:19 , Alex WoodwardLawyers with the Department of Justice filed dozens of motions Wednesday asking judges to freeze court cases during the government shutdown. Some of those requests, if granted, would pause court orders against the Trump administration that block key part of the president’s agenda, for now.
Motions were filed in cases involving court orders to release funding for domestic violence and sexual assault survivors; the high-profile legal battles for state voter information; Trump’s birthright citizenship executive order; and immigration enforcement, among others.
Freezing those immigration cases — including the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia and other immigrants challenging sweeping Trump policy on immigration enforcement — could throw a wrench in the gears for any potential relief.
‘It’s funny!’ JD Vance just doesn’t get why vulgar AI video Trump posted of Dem leader Jeffries in sombrero is racist
Wednesday 1 October 2025 21:06 , Mike BediganVice President JD Vance brushed off the multiple deepfake AI videos that Donald Trump has posted of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries wearing a sombrero and a cartoonishly large mustache, insisting there is nothing racist about the memes and it is all in good fun.
“Oh, I think it’s funny, the president is joking and we’re having a good time,” the vice president said during Wednesday’s White House press briefing.
Justin Baragona has the whole story:
‘It’s funny!’ JD Vance doesn’t get why Trump’s vulgar AI sombrero video is racist
Newsom trolls Trump on shutdown: 'I AM LEADER OF THE FREE WORLD'
Wednesday 1 October 2025 20:52 , Mike BediganGOOD NEWS PATRIOTS! WITH WASHINGTON SHUT DOWN, I, GAVIN C. NEWSOM, AM NOW THE LEADER OF THE FREE WORLD. MY PLATFORM IS VERY SIMPLE: HEALTH CARE FOR ALL AMERICANS (NO MEASLES!), FREE SCHOOL MEALS (WOW PUDDING FOR EVERYONE), FREE CHILDCARE (THE MOMS LOVE ME! MORE BABIES!!)…
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) October 1, 2025
Furloughed government employees post email 'out of office' blaming Democrats for their absence
Wednesday 1 October 2025 20:45 , Mike BediganSome furloughed members of the government appear to have crafted special email “out of office” replies that blame Democrats for their absence.
The New York Times reported that some staff at the Small Business Administration had the automatic responses in place Wednesday.
“I am out of office for the foreseeable future because Senate Democrats voted to block a clean federal funding bill (H.R. 5371), leading to a government shutdown that is preventing the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) from serving America’s 36 million small businesses,” the response read.
The message was similar to one posted on the SBA website, explaining the effects on the agency caused by the shutdown.
Watch: 'It's funny!' Vance defends Trump posting 'racist meme' of Jeffries
Wednesday 1 October 2025 20:28 , Mike BediganWork on Trump's new White House ballroom will not stop due to shutdown, report
Wednesday 1 October 2025 20:13 , Mike BediganWork on Donald Trump’s expensive new ballroom at the White House will not stop because of the shutdown, Fox News reports.
The outlet was told that work will continue to be performed as funding for the project are not connected to the 2026 financial year enacted appropriation.
Jeffries asked about federal layoffs reported to start 'within 48 hours'
Wednesday 1 October 2025 20:06 , Mike BediganJeffries was asked about statements by OBM Director Russell Vought, who said firings of federal employees were “likely to start in the next 48 hours.”
“These are all things the Trump administration has been doing since January,” he replied. “The mass firings of federal workers, Trump administration has been engaging in this since January 20th.”
He added: “The Trump administration has been killing jobs... job creation is down but you know what is up? Costs.”
Jeffries says he has confidence Schumer can keep Democrats united on bill opposition
Wednesday 1 October 2025 19:56 , Mike BediganHakeem Jeffries gave a curt reply when asked if he had confidence in Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer to keep Democrats united in their opposition to the GOP stopgap spending bill proposal.
“Yes,” he said at a press conference Wednesday, before moving on to the next question.
Back in March, after Schumer voted with Republicans to avert a previous government shutdown, Jeffries was also asked if he had confidence in his leadership.
“Next question,” he said,
Reporter: Are you confident in Schumer's ability to hold back his caucus from voting for this?
— Acyn (@Acyn) October 1, 2025
Jeffries: Yes pic.twitter.com/ROcAF4r9vJ
Jeffries says Trump and Johnson are 'delighted' by
Wednesday 1 October 2025 19:46 , Mike BediganHakeem Jeffries has said that the Trump administration is “delighted” by the government shutdown and are trying to hurt “every day Americans.”
“Everything that Trump has said about the government shutting down, everything that Mike Johnson has said about the government shutting down, everything that the Trump administration has said about the government shutting down confirms the fact that Republicans are delighted to have shut down the government,” Jeffries said at a Wednesday press conference.
“Why? because they want to continue to hurt everyday Americans... they want to continue to hurt civil servants who in many cases have served they’re country, including in uniform, for decades.
“The Trump administration and Mike Johnson Donald Trump and Mike Johnson could care less. because cruelty is the point for them and it’s all about rewarding their billionaire donors.”
He added: “Democrats are holding firm because we are standing up for the healthcare of every day Americans.”
Trump blocks $18B in NYC funding as he blames Schumer for shutdown and with ‘radical’ Mamdani leading mayoral race
Wednesday 1 October 2025 19:34 , Mike BediganPresident Donald Trump’s administration has blocked $18 billion in funding for New York City infrastructure projects after hitting out at Democratic leaders from the state over the government shutdown.
The Department of Transportation paused $18 billion in funding for the Hudson Tunnel Project and the Second Ave Subway on Wednesday to ensure funding is “not flowing based on unconstitutional DEI principles,” Russ Vought, the director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, wrote on X.
Trump blocks $18B in NYC funding after blaming Schumer for shutdown
In pictures: Washington Monument closed because of shutdown
Wednesday 1 October 2025 15:25 , Joe SommerladA closed sign is seen on the Washington Monument on Wednesday after Congress failed to pass a bipartisan funding bill.
