Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Alex Woodward,Eric Garcia and Rachel Dobkin

Government shutdown to continue into next week as Senate vote fails to break bitter partisan deadlock: Live updates

The government shutdown will continue into next week after, for a fourth time, the Senate failed to pass a short-term spending bill to keep agencies running through November.

Only three Democrats joined Republicans Friday to support the measure, which would fund the government through November 21. A procedural vote failed 54-44.

A shutdown is expected to continue through the weekend, with another potential vote to avert a looming crisis tentatively scheduled for Monday.

President Donald Trump has threatened mass layoffs and could suspend billions of dollars in funding to Democratic-led cities, while White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has accused Democratic members of Congress of “intentional sabotage” as lawmakers appear nowhere near a deal.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said senators were unlikely to reach a breakthrough Friday and accused Democrats of “playing with fire,” knowing full well that Trump and White House budget director Russell Vought have long sought to gut federal agencies and may use the shutdown as a means to do so.

Democratic leader Chuck Schumer has called on GOP members to work with Democrats on a funding plan for federal healthcare programs as his party accuses Republicans of lying about what Democrats are proposing.

Key Points

  • Senate fails to advance resolution to end shutdown
  • White House accuses Democrats of 'intentional sabotage'
  • What agencies are impacted by the shutdown?
  • 'Unlikely' that senators will reach a breakthrough this weekend
  • Trump calls Democrats ‘the party of hate, evil, and Satan’ in late-night Truth Social rant
  • White House says 'thousands' of workers will be laid off

Watch: White House expecting to fire thousands of government workers during shutdown

10:00 , Rachel Dobkin

ICYMI: Marjorie Taylor Greene has suggested using the "nuclear option" amid shutdown

09:00 , Rachel Dobkin

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, has suggested using the "nuclear option" of eliminating the filibuster, which the Democrats are currently using to stop the passage of the GOP’s funding bill, to open the government.

“And as far as worrying that using the nuclear option would damage partisan relations, let’s be real, that ship has sailed a long time ago,” Greene wrote on X Friday. “There are no partisan relations. Instead, Republicans need to learn how to weld power when they have it and govern.”

Analysis: These five Senate Democrats could be the key for Republicans to break Schumer ... and the shutdown standoff

08:00 , Rachel Dobkin

Eric Garcia writes:

While there seems to be no end in sight, government shutdowns are ultimately about which side can tolerate the most pain before they cry “uncle.”

President Donald Trump has vowed since the shutdown to “clear out deadwood, waste and fraud” in government and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, the intellectual godfather of Project 2025, has canceled projects in Democrat run, so-called blue states.

The pain might ultimately cause enough Democrats to cross the aisle and cut a deal. Republicans would need five Democrats to join them, considering Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) opposes any continuing resolutions and most spending bills and three members of the Democratic caucus — Sens. Angus King (I-Maine), John Fetterman (D-Penn.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) — have already voted with them.

Read on...

These five Senate Democrats could be key for Republicans to win the shutdown battle

RFK Jr. peddles baseless GOP claim that Democrats want free healthcare for undocumented immigrants: 'MAHA held hostage"

07:00 , Rachel Dobkin

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has peddled a baseless Republican claim that Democrats shut down the government to push for free healthcare for undocumented immigrants.

“MAHA held hostage,” Kennedy wrote on X Friday evening, referring to his “Make America Healthy Again” effort.

Democrats demand the reversal of Medicaid cuts from Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” and the extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies in exchange for their support on a funding bill to keep the government open.

Undocumented immigrants are not eligible for federal healthcare programs aside from emergency services.

Native Americans furloughed amid government shutdown

06:00 , Rachel Dobkin

Nevada’s Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe has furloughed at least 25 employees since October 1 amid the ongoing government shutdown.

The tribe’s chairman, Steven Wadsworth, wrote in a letter shared on Facebook that several departments would be shutting down, including the Museum and Visitors center, Parks and Recreation and Higher Education.

Watch: Karoline Leavitt says 'you have to make tough decisions' as White House threatens layoffs

05:00 , Rachel Dobkin

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Friday, “Sometimes in government you have to make tough decisions,” as the Trump administration threatens layoffs amid the government shutdown.

Trump spares DOGE and Russ Vought’s OMB from shutdown pain as thousands of White House staff are sent home

04:30 , Rachel Dobkin

The Trump administration has exempted personnel working in the Office of Management and Budget and the Department of Government Efficiency from government shutdown furloughs even as many other federal workers and White House staff are sent home with no pay.

A contingency plan released online showed that one-third of White House staff will be furloughed during the government shutdown. Politico first reported the story.

The plan says that 554 of the 1,733 staffers for the Executive Office of the President would be placed on furlough status and 1,179 of the staff would continue to report for duty.

But the plan says that the 49 staffers at the Office of Management and Budget and 46 staffers at DOGE, the government-slashing agency that generated headlines for cutting personnel at agencies like the U.S. Institute of Peace and the U.S. Agency for International Development, would be exempt. This comes because these agencies receive money other than from Congress.

Read more from Eric Garcia:

Trump spares DOGE and Russ Vought’s OMB shutdown pain as White House staff sent home

Watch: Rep-elect Adelita Grijalva says she has had 'no direct communication' with Mike Johnson's office

04:00 , Rachel Dobkin

Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva of Arizona told MSNBC’s Chris Hayes Friday night she has had “no direct communication” with House Speaker Mike Johnson's office as her swearing-in ceremony is delayed once again.

Johnson announced earlier Friday he was canceling votes scheduled next week, meaning there won’t be any business in the House, including Grijalva’s swearing-in ceremony, until mid-October.

Full story: Trump to host large Navy celebration this weekend while military goes without pay during shutdown

03:30 , Rachel Dobkin

President Donald Trump will host a large Navy celebration this weekend while the military goes without pay during the government shutdown.

Trump wrote on Truth Social Friday evening, “THE SHOW MUST GO ON!” when announcing his trip to Norfolk, Virginia, on Sunday “to honor our brave men and women of the United States Navy” for its 250th birthday, which will be on October 13.

But unlike the president, these servicemembers won’t be getting paid this weekend thanks to the ongoing government shutdown.

Active-duty servicemembers are required to work unpaid during the shutdown. Their paychecks will stop coming on October 15 if the Senate doesn’t pass a funding bill by then, the Military Times reports.

Read on...

Trump to host large Navy celebration while military goes without pay during shutdown

Federal workers' union sues Education department, claims 'partisan' out-of-office emails were created without consent

03:07 , Rachel Dobkin

The American Federation of Government Employees has sued the Education Department, claiming “partisan” out-of-office emails were created without workers’ consent.

“Forcing civil servants to speak on behalf of the political leadership’s partisan agenda is a blatant violation of federal employees’ First Amendment rights,” the lawsuit read.

The lawsuit claimed the Education Department replaced employees’ out-of-office emails with “partisan language” blaming Democrats for the ongoing government shutdown.

“Employees are now forced to involuntarily parrot the Trump Administration’s talking points with emails sent out in their names,” the lawsuit read.

Alex Woodward does a deep dive on the out-of-office emails:

Federal workers sent anti-Democrat out-of-office replies without their knowledge

White House posts about Democrats' 'love' for undocumented immigrants amid healthcare fight

02:40 , Rachel Dobkin

The White House posted on social media about Democrats’ “love” for undocumented immigrants as the party fights with Republicans over healthcare.

“They spent the week shutting down government so they could give them free health care,” the White House wrote on X Friday night.

Republicans and Democrats have blamed each other for the shutdown. Democrats demand the reversal of Medicaid cuts from Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” and the extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies in exchange for their support on a funding bill to keep the government open.

For their part, Republicans have pushed for a funding bill without such provisions and claimed Democrats’ healthcare demands are to give undocumented immigrants free healthcare, despite the group not being eligible for federal healthcare programs aside from emergency services.

Watch: Chuck Schumer responds to Mike Johnson sending House members home until mid-October

02:20 , Rachel Dobkin

Trump will celebrate Navy's birthday as service members will soon go without pay amid government shutdown

02:00 , Rachel Dobkin

President Donald Trump will celebrate the Navy's birthday on Sunday as service members will soon go without pay amid the ongoing government shutdown.

Trump announced via Truth Social Friday evening he, joined by first lady Melania Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, will host a ‘Salute to the Fleet’ Norfolk, Virginia, over the weekend “to honor our brave men and women of the United States Navy.”

The event is in celebration of the Navy’s 250th birthday, which is on October 13.

Trump accused the Democrats of trying to “destroy this wonderful celebration” through the government shutdown after the Senate failed to pass a GOP short-term funding bill.

“The U.S. Navy has been planning this event for many months and, despite the Democrats’ incompetence, I refuse to let them down as their Commander-in-Chief,” Trump wrote.

The president said thousands of active-duty servicemembers will be in attendance on Sunday. But they soon won’t be getting paid.

Active-duty servicemembers are required to work during the shutdown, even though they will stop getting paid on October 15, the Military Times reports.

Congress could pass a funding bill before then, but Republican and Democratic lawmakers are currently at an impasse.

Read on...

Senate fails to end the shutdown as both parties aren’t even speaking to each other

Trump administration likely went after Kilmar Abrego Garcia for ‘vindictive’ reasons, judge says

01:40 , Rachel Dobkin

Trump administration officials who celebrated the arrest of Kilmar Abrego Garcia may be enough “direct evidence” to throw out a criminal case against the wrongfully deported Salvadoran immigrant for “vindictive” prosecution, according to a federal judge.

The judge overseeing his criminal prosecution argued that the government likely brought the case against him for “vindictive” reasons and will hear more evidence before reaching a final decision on whether to dismiss it altogether.

Attorneys for Abrego Garcia argued that he was “singled out” by administration officials in retaliation for his high-profile legal battle challenging his wrongful arrest and removal to a brutal Salvadoran prison.

Despite admitting in court that he was wrongfully deported to El Salvador in March, government lawyers and top administration officials spent weeks insisting Abrego Garcia would never be allowed back into the country. He was returned to the United States in June only to face a criminal indictment that was introduced weeks after he was mistakenly deported.

Read more from Alex Woodward:

Kilmar Abrego Garcia was likely prosecuted for ‘vindictive’ reasons, judge says

Watch: Pete Buttigieg says Trump is 'happy to see the federal government destroyed'

01:20 , Rachel Dobkin

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has said President Donald Trump is “happy to see the federal government destroyed.”

Trump has insisted he didn’t want the government to shut down, but that it would be an opportunity to make more federal cuts.

Read Trump's full Truth Social post announcing his anticipated trip to Norfolk, Virginia, to celebrate the Navy's birthday

01:00 , Rachel Dobkin

“I am proud to announce that on Sunday, October 5th, I will be hosting a Salute to the Fleet in Norfolk, Virginia, to honor our brave men and women of the United States Navy. Our wonderful First Lady, as well as our great Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, and Secretary of the Navy, John Phelan, will be joining me as we mark 250 years of MARITIME DOMINANCE in the United States of America!

“Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, and the other Minority Radical Left Democrats tried their best, through the ridiculous Government Shutdown, to destroy this wonderful celebration of the U.S. Navy’s Birthday, and to stop our Military Servicemembers from celebrating American Naval History. However, I believe, ‘THE SHOW MUST GO ON!’

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth shakes hands with President Donald Trump in Quantico, Virginia, on Tuesday (Andrew Harnik/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

“The U.S. Navy has been planning this event for many months and, despite the Democrats’ incompetence, I refuse to let them down as their Commander-in-Chief. This will be the largest Celebration in the History of the Navy.

“Thousands of our brave Active Duty Servicemembers and Military Families will be in attendance, and I look forward to this special day with all of them. See you on Sunday!” President Donald Trump wrote Friday evening.

House Democrats demand Mike Johnson bring the House back in session

Saturday 4 October 2025 00:40 , Rachel Dobkin

House Democrats on the Oversight Committee, which is investigating the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, have demanded House Speaker Mike Johnson bring the House back in session.

Democrats claim Johnson is purposefully delaying the swearing in of Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva of Arizona to push back a vote to release files related to Epstein.

“He is preventing Adelita Grijalva’s swearing in to block the release of the Epstein Files and continue Trump’s cover-up,” Representative Robert Garcia, the ranking member on the House Oversight Committee, said. “Speaker Johnson must bring the House back in session and end this sham government shutdown now.”

In July, the feds released a memo stating there was never any suspected Epstein client list of powerful people who may have participated in his crimes and that “no further disclosure [of information regarding Epstein] would be appropriate or warranted.”

Johnson has blamed the shutdown on his Democratic colleagues, telling reporters earlier Friday, “The House will come back into session and do its work as soon as [Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer allows us to reopen the government.”

Trump tells Israel it ‘must immediately stop’ bombing Gaza to enable hostage release after Hamas accepts elements of peace plan

Saturday 4 October 2025 00:20 , Rachel Dobkin

President Donald Trump on Friday called on Israel to cease the bombing campaign it has waged against Gaza to permit hostages to be released by Hamas after the militant group said it agreed in part to his 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza pending some negotiations of details.

Writing on Truth Social, the president said Hamas was “ready for a lasting PEACE” based on a statement released by the group earlier in the day in which it agreed to proceed with the hostage exchange portion of the peace plan, which he’d unveiled on Monday alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House.

“Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly! Right now, it’s far too dangerous to do that,” Trump said.

He also said discussions “on details to be worked out” were already in progress before adding: “This is not about Gaza alone, this is about long sought PEACE in the Middle East.”

Read more from Andrew Feinberg:

Trump tells Israel it ‘must immediately stop’ bombing Gaza after Hamas accepts deal

Chuck Schumer rips into Mike Johnson's decision to send House members home

Saturday 4 October 2025 00:00 , Rachel Dobkin

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has ripped into House Speaker Mike Johnson's decision to send House members home.

“ They seem to care more about protecting the Epstein files than protecting the American people and their healthcare,” Schumer told CNN’s Jake Tapper Friday evening.  “But even more outrageous is the fact that they're going home and they're getting paid.

“And what about the millions of federal workers who aren't getting paid? The people cleaning the cafeterias, the people in the air traffic control towers, the people who run the national parks.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has ripped into House Speaker Mike Johnson's decision to send House members home (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

It was announced Friday afternoon that Johnson was canceling votes scheduled next week.

Earlier Friday, the speaker told reporters, “The House will come back into session and do its work as soon as Chuck Schumer allows us to reopen the government.”

But Democrats, including Schumer, claim the move is a way to push back a vote to release files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Schumer told Tapper, “ It's Johnson who seems to be the main focal point of wanting a shutdown because if you didn't want a shutdown, you'd come and stay and negotiate with us.”

Trump to attend Navy birthday celebration despite shutdown: 'The show must go on!"

Friday 3 October 2025 23:41 , Rachel Dobkin

President Donald Trump has announced he, along with first lady Melania and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, will attend a celebration for the Navy’s 250th birthday in Virginia on Sunday, despite an ongoing government shutdown.

“Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, and the other Minority Radical Left Democrats tried their best, through the ridiculous Government Shutdown, to destroy this wonderful celebration of the U.S. Navy’s Birthday, and to stop our Military Servicemembers from celebrating American Naval History. However, I believe, ‘THE SHOW MUST GO ON!’” Trump wrote on Truth Social Friday evening.

Senate leader says GOP should avoid eliminating the filibuster 'at all costs'

Friday 3 October 2025 23:20 , Rachel Dobkin

Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said Republicans should avoid eliminating the filibuster “at all costs.”

Thune recently told Punchbowl News that getting rid of the filibuster, which the Democrats are currently using to stop the passage of the GOP’s funding bill, is a “possibility.”

“We put up with it, obviously, in his first term as president. I could see at some point that being a potential conversation. But that’s not good for anybody…We should avoid that at all costs,” Thune said.

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, has suggested using the “nuclear option” of eliminating the filibuster to open the government.

“And as far as worrying that using the nuclear option would damage partisan relations, let’s be real, that ship has sailed a long time ago,” Greene said. “There are no partisan relations. Instead, Republicans need to learn how to weld power when they have it and govern.”

Senate fails to end the shutdown as both parties aren’t even speaking to each other: ‘I’m not optimistic’

Friday 3 October 2025 23:00 , Rachel Dobkin

The Senate failed to reach an agreement to reopen the government on Friday, causing the federal shutdown to enter the weekend.

Meanwhile, the clerk of the House of Representatives read a letter from House Speaker Mike Johnson Friday afternoon saying that next week would be a “district work week,” sending the House home and guaranteeing the House would not need to convene.

As of right now, the Democrats and Republicans are in the same spot they were on Tuesday evening: Republicans want a clean stopgap spending bill called a continuing resolution to buy time to negotiate spending bills for a full fiscal year, while Democrats want to include a provision to extend enhanced subsidies for the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance marketplaces.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he would be available, but he likely would be back home in South Dakota over the weekend. And don’t expect a working group to get this truck out of the ditch: Thune’s fellow South Dakotan Sen. Mike Rounds said he is not optimistic about talks between Democrats and Republicans.

“I'm not optimistic that more than just a few of them want to get to ‘yes,’” Rounds told The Independent. “And it's unfortunate because their time is running out as well, because there is no way to begin working and trying to solve any issues surrounding any of the supplemental credits, the covid credits, that are expiring.”

Read more from Eric Garcia:

Senate fails to end the shutdown as both parties aren’t even speaking to each other

Vance posts photo of 'good time' with Trump and their wives amid government shutdown

Friday 3 October 2025 22:40 , Rachel Dobkin

Vice President JD Vance posted a photo of a “good time” with President Donald Trump and their wives as the government shutdown continues.

The Trumps had visited the Thursday night for dinner with Vance and his wife, Usha, at the U.S. Naval Observatory, the vice president’s official residence.

Read more about their double date from Andrew Feinberg:

Trump steps out for dinner with Melania at Vances’ house amid shutdown

House Democrats launch probe into mass layoff threats

Friday 3 October 2025 22:29 , Rachel Dobkin

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have launched an investigation into more than two dozen federal agencies regarding President Donald Trump’s threats of mass layoffs amid the government shutdown.

Representative Robert Garcia, the ranking member of the committee, said in a statement: “Let’s be very clear: The Trump Administration’s plan to fire thousands of federal workers during this ongoing Republican government shutdown is both malicious and without a doubt, illegal. That is why we are launching an investigation into every single major agency to see if they plan to go on the record and blatantly ignore the law.”

Rep. Robert Garcia and other Democrats launched an investigation into President Donald Trump’s threats of mass layoffs amid the government shutdown (Marvin Recinos/AFP via Getty Images)

“Even though this Administration thinks they can get away with whatever they want, Oversight Democrats will be here to fight back every single time. We will always protect our federal workers and every American across this country.”

Usually, non-essential employees are furloughed during a shutdown, meaning they temporarily don’t report to work and receive back pay when the government opens.

How will the government shutdown affect Americans?

Friday 3 October 2025 22:00 , Rachel Dobkin

Io Dodds explains how a government shutdown may affect Americans:

Previous shutdowns have impacted everything from environmental inspections of chemical plants to food safety checks, as well as passport approvals and immigration decisions.

Many such services are covered by fees, which means they can continue for an extended period. But if expenditures outstrip those fees, the services may have to shut down.

Other programs, such as food assistance, pre-school subsidies, or student loans, may or may not stop depending on how long they are funded. Not all such services have the same fiscal year as the rest of the government, meaning they may still be within budget when a shutdown begins.

The national park system could be closed, wholly or partially. During the 2018-19 shutdown, this did not happen; however, services such as trash collection were stopped, leading to unpleasant conditions in some facilities.

The Smithsonian museums could similarly be forced to close, although they have previously managed to stay open for a few days following the start of a shutdown.

What is a government shutdown? Here’s how it will impact most Americans

House out of session until mid-month also derails Epstein vote

Friday 3 October 2025 21:36 , Alex Woodward

Speaker Mike Johnson’s cancelation of House votes next week, effectively closing down the lower chamber of Congress until mid-month, also means that members won’t be able to vote on a resolution demanded by Democrats to release the so-called Epstein files.

Speaker Johnson said he he will not be swearing in Adelita Grijalva, the recently elected Arizona representative.

She would be the 218th and final signature required to force a House vote on the discharge petition to release the docuents.

“Still playing games with my swearing in date? The people of Southern Arizona deserve a voice in Congress NOW,” Grijalva wrote Friday. “What are Republicans so afraid of? One more vote for accountability?”

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez said John refused to call members back to the House next week “because we have secured the final vote on releasing the Epstein Files and they don’t want it out.”

“Johnson and House Republicans care more about protecting the Epstein files than protecting the American people,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters.

Marjorie Taylor Green wants Senate Republicans to use the 'nuclear option'

Friday 3 October 2025 21:18 , Alex Woodward

Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is calling on Senate Republicans to blow up the filibuster rule in the Senate that is blocking a simple-majority vote on a continuing resolution to keep the government open.

Republicans could theoretically pass the measure by a simple majority vote instead of the 60 votes normally required — and which would require several Democratic members to join in support.

“And as far as worrying that using the nuclear option would damage partisan relations, let’s be real, that ship has sailed a long time ago,” she wrote Friday. “There are no partisan relations. Instead, Republicans need to learn how to weld power when they have it and govern.”

Breaking: House Speaker Mike Johnson cancels votes next week

Friday 3 October 2025 20:50 , Alex Woodward

While senators are locked in a stalemate over a funding plan to keep the government open, the House Speaker Mike Johnson says he’s canceling votes that were scheduled next week.

That means there won’t be any business in the House until mid-October.

Earlier Friday, he suggested that he wouldn’t bring members back to the Capitol if there was no sign of movement in the Senate, where a vote on a funding plan failed for a fourth time Friday afternoon.

“The House will come back into session and do its work as soon as Chuck Schumer allows us to reopen the government,” Johnson told reporters. “That’s plain and simple.”

(AP)

Senate Democrats come out swinging: GOP 'plowing ahead' with shutdown over healthcare impasse

Friday 3 October 2025 20:32 , Alex Woodward

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee blasted Senate Republicans for failing to address the “health care crisis they created” by continuing to shut down the government.

“Americans are already being informed that their monthly health care premiums are going to skyrocket — in some cases doubling — and Senate Republicans are plowing full steam ahead with their shutdown instead of lifting a finger to stop it,” according to DSCC spokesperson Maeve Coyle.

“At a time when costs for groceries, electricity, and other household essentials are already far too high, Democrats are ready to do the work to stand up for working families,” she added. “Make no mistake: the GOP owns this shutdown and the health care crisis they’ve created.”

Why Democrats in Michigan are desperate to stop a diehard Trump supporter from winning a seemingly small-time race

Friday 3 October 2025 20:30 , John Bowden

Democrats in one of the most important battleground states in the nation are rallying their forces in a comparatively small race — which party leaders fear could have big implications for the 2026 midterms and 2028 presidential elections.

Democrats’ desperate bid to stop Jan 6 defender from running Michigan elections

Smithsonian will stay open through October 11

Friday 3 October 2025 20:15 , Alex Woodward

Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo will stay open through October 11, the institution said in a statement Friday.

The Smithsonian said earlier this week that its facilities would likely have to close within just a days, no later than October 6, because of the shutdown.

(REUTERS)

Breaking: Senate fails to advance resolution to end shutdown

Friday 3 October 2025 20:12 , Alex Woodward

A House-passed continuing resolution that would end the government shutdown has failed for a fourth time in the Senate.

Only three Democrats joined Republicans to support the measure, which would fund the government through November 21.

A procedural vote failed 54-44.

Majority Leader John Thune is now likely to tee up votes for Monday, with no movement on ending the shutdown over the weekend.

(AP)

Senate Democrats fail to advance stop-gap measure

Friday 3 October 2025 20:03 , Alex Woodward

A vote to advance a Democratic-backed plan to temporarily fund the government and end the shutdown failed on Friday afternoon by a vote of 46-52.

Are Trump's plans to gut the government 'unfortunate' consequence during the shutdown — or an 'opportunity'?

Friday 3 October 2025 20:00 , Alex Woodward

Trump has described the shutdown as an opportunity to fire workers and gut federal agencies, suggesting the administration is using the mass reductions in service as a smokescreen to implement sweeping cuts to the government.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called potential layoffs an “unfortunate consequence.” Meanwhile, Trump has posted a spree of AI-generated videos mocking his opponents.

So, which is it, a reporter asked Leavitt on Friday.

“The president has described this as an unprecedented opportunity to lay off additional workers. He's posted a video likening Russ Vought to the Grim Reaper. So, which is it?” the report asked. “Is this an opportunity to fire more workers, or an unfortunate consequence?”

“Look, the president likes to have a little fun every now and then, and I think both things can be true at the same time,” Leavitt said.

“Democrats have given the administration this opportunity, and we don't like laying people off. Nobody takes joy in that around here. And if you think that, then I think you’re very sad. … But sometimes the government has to make tough decisions.”

(Getty Images)

Jeffries’ latest favorite phrase: 'Presidential witness protection program’

Friday 3 October 2025 19:41 , Alex Woodward

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries says he hasn’t heard from the White House since Monday, when he joined Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for a meeting with Trump to avert a shutdown.

Instead, Jeffries says, Trump has been “hiding” on social media and posting bizarre AI-generated videos.

He calls Trump’s absence of leadership the “presidential witness protection program.”

The president “continues to hide behind deepfake videos since the meeting int he Oval Office on Monday,” Jeffries told reporters Friday.

Americans have a right to ask “what is going on? and “why is there no presidential leadership?”

“I’ve been here all week. We’ve heard radio silence,” he said. “They want to inflict pain on the American people.”

(REUTERS)

Karoline Leavitt pressed on claims that Democrats are pushing health coverage for undocumented immigrants

Friday 3 October 2025 19:08 , Alex Woodward

Federal law already prohibits people living in the country illegally from receiving federal health benefits, but the Trump administration and Republican members of Congress have accused Democratic lawmakers of derailing the government over demands for healthcare for "illegal aliens.”

“Are you denying that Medicaid money has never gone to illegal aliens?” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt asked one reporter who pushed back on the administration’s claims.

Emergency Medicaid provisions, however, reimburse hospitals for care provided to people who would otherwise be eligible for Medicaid, regardless of their immigration status, as emergency rooms are required by law to stabilize medical emergencies.

There is no proposal in play that would provide coverage for undocumented immigrants, and the measures Democrats have promoted would preserve health plans for more than 14 million people, including citizens and lawfully present immigrants, whose coverage is at stake.

The Independent’s Andrew Feinberg later asked whether it is the administration’s position that hospitals should stop treating people who come into the emergency department who are not here legally.

“Our position is that it’s completely unacceptable that the Biden administration paroled and encouraged an invasion of tens of millions of illegal aliens into our country, and then promised them free healthcare,” Leavitt replied. “That is a recipe for disaster."

The “consequences of that” means “American patients are put last,” she said.

(AP)

Retiring Republican Senator: no conversations happening

Friday 3 October 2025 18:45 , Eric Garcia

Republican Senator Thom Tillis, usually an emissary to negotiating with Democrats, says no talks are happening with Democrats.

Tillis is retiring at the end of 2026 after he disagreed with the Medicaid cuts in the “One Big, Beautiful Bill.” He cut deals during Joe Biden’s presidency on guns and codifying protections for marriage equality.

But Tillis told The Independent no talks are happening “outside of casual conversations with colleagues you want to work with.”

Tillis said there are no working groups or active talks.

“No, I’m gonna have to go back and find the last time the negotiating strategy of shutting down the government, when all that we've asked to do is continue funding while we negotiate things has ever happened,” he said.

Tillis seems to be in the same spot as Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota.

Is Trump following the Project 2025 blueprint?

Friday 3 October 2025 18:33 , Alex Woodward

Trump repeatedly denied knowing anything about Project 2025 during his presidential campaign, then appointed its authors to prominent government roles.

This week, he hailed White House budget director Russell Vought for his role with the project, which was developed by the Heritage Foundation as a blueprint to break and reshape the federal government.

Asked whether Trump is now following the blueprint to shrink the government during the shutdown, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said “the blueprint is what the president and his team and cabinet secretaries decide ultimately.”

White House accuses Democrats of 'intentional sabotage'

Friday 3 October 2025 18:23 , Alex Woodward

As she began her briefing Friday, White House press secretary lambasted Democratic members of Congress for the impasse on legislation to stop the government shutdown.

She accused Democrats of “intentional sabotage.”

Leavitt claimed Democrats “continue to recklessly hold the American people hostage over their demands to give illegal aliens free healthcare,” despite undocumented immigrants not being eligible for any federal health benefits.

“Democrats will have an opportunity very shortly here to change course — and we hope that they will,” she said.

(AFP via Getty Images)

Furloughed federal workers sent anti-Democrat out-of-office replies without their knowledge

Friday 3 October 2025 18:15 , Alex Woodward

Federal employees at several agencies were surprised to learn that their email accounts were automatically responding to messages with out-of-office replies that blamed Democratic members of Congress for the government shutdown.

“This is such bull****,” one employee said.

Federal workers sent anti-Democrat out-of-office replies without their knowledge

Democrat who voted with Republicans criticizes ‘punitive’ Trump administration

Friday 3 October 2025 18:14 , Eric Garcia

Democratic Senator Catherine Cortez Masto criticized the Trump administration and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought for canceling projects in blue states amid a government shutdown.

The Nevada Democrat voted for the Republican continuing resolution to keep the government open on Tuesday evening and again on Wednesday, despite her caucus demanding that any continuing resolution include an extension of enhanced tax credits for the Affordable Care Act’s insurance marketplaces.

“It shows you how punitive the administration is [that] they're not willing to get in a room and help us, and work with us to negotiate,” Cortez Masto told The Independent. “To them this is a game and it's unfortunate because the only people who are being hurt are the American people.”

(Getty Images)

Democratic senator warns 'people will die' as healthcare premiums explode without subsidies

Friday 3 October 2025 18:00 , Alex Woodward

At the heart of the government shutdown are expiring subsidies for low- and middle-income earners who purchase their health coverage through the Affordable Care Act.

Those credits are set to expire at the end of the year if Congress does not extend them.

If they do, people on those plans are expected to pay more than double for their premiums next year, according to KFF.

Democrats have pushed for those COVID-era subsidies to be extended again, and for lawmakers to reverse Medicaid cuts in Trump’s megabill that was signed into law this summer.

Those cuts are not yet in effect but are already driving some states to cut payments to health providers.

Senator Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, warned that the ongoing impasse over those subsidies are creating a healthcare crisis for their constituents.

“Millions of families are about to see monthly healthcare costs jump by hundreds if not thousands of dollars,” she said in remarks on the Senate floor Friday.

The GOP’s plan appears to be “hope no one notices,” she said. “It’s no exaggeration to say people will die.”

(Getty Images)

Republican negotiator ‘not optimistic’ about negotiations with Democrats

Friday 3 October 2025 17:45 , Eric Garcia

Sen. Mike Rounds, a Republican talking with Democratic senators, said he does not think enough Democratic Senators want to get to “yes” on ending the government shutdown.

“I'm not optimistic that more than just a few of them want to get to yes,” he said.

Rounds said Democratic senators, who are demanding a continuing resolution to reopen the government include an extension of COVID-era enhanced subsidies for the Affordable Care Act marketplace, are still trying to please their base.

“I think they're still feeling the pressure to tell their base that they're fighting the administration,” he said.

“And it's unfortunate because their time is running out as well, because there is no way to begin working and trying to solve any issues surrounding any of the supplemental credits, the covid credits, that are expiring,” he added.

Rounds warned that the extension needs to happen before November 1 so states can make any modification to premium rates.

“If not, Democrats set this up to expire on January 1 of 2026 it will expire at that time, and as long as they're in a shutdown, there is nobody negotiating on that, and we continue to share with them, this is not a case of where Republicans are running out of time,” he said.

“This is a case where our Democrat colleagues are running out of time.”

Trump administration restores law enforcement funds to New York

Friday 3 October 2025 17:30 , Alex Woodward

New York Governor Kathy Hochul says $187 million in funding for police counterterrorism efforts has been restored after the Trump administration threatened the funds at the onset of the government shutdown.

"From the moment these devastating cuts were announced, I made it clear that New York would not stand by while our law enforcement and counterterrorism operations were defunded,” the governor said in a statement Friday.

“I'm glad President Trump heard our call and reversed course, ensuring our state has the resources necessary to support law enforcement and keep our families safe,” she added.

The cuts — the largest federal defunding of police programs in New York in decades — were directed by the Department of Homeland Security without Trump’s approval, according to the White House.

(REUTERS)

Hakeem Jeffries: Trump 'unserious and unhinged' during shutdown

Friday 3 October 2025 17:15 , Alex Woodward

Democratic House leader Hakeem Jeffries said Trump is being “unserious and unhinged” during the federal government shutdown.

“It’s further confirmation that Republicans are the ones who were clearly determined to shut the government down,” he told MSNBC Friday morning.

“Everything that President Trump has done subsequent to Monday has been unhinged and unserious,” he added.

Trump and White House ramp up racist memes blaming Democrats for shutdown: ‘Dollar Store Obama’

Friday 3 October 2025 17:00 , Joe Sommerlad

Trump has continued to troll senior Democrats on social media as the federal government remains mired in shutdown, with no breakthrough in sight on Capitol Hill.

The president was busy online on Thursday night, posting a meme of a glum-looking Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer under a headline calling the opposition “the party of hate, evil, and Satan.”

There was also a Superman clip and an AI-edited video of the commander-in-chief picking up a red “Trump 2028” baseball cap and tossing it directly onto the head of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Trump and White House ramp up racist memes blaming Democrats for shutdown

Mike Johnson says Trump is 'having fun' with the shutdown

Friday 3 October 2025 16:44 , Alex Woodward

House Speaker Mike Johnson says the Trump administration is not taking “great pleasure” in the possibility of an extended federal shutdown that could imperil funding for critical government services.

But he is “having fun” antagonizing Democrats, Johnson told reporters Friday.

“Is he trolling the Democrats? Yes. Yes! Because that's what President Trump does and people are having fun with this,” he said.

(REUTERS)

GOP Senate leader says Democrats are 'playing with fire' knowing what Trump and Vought are planning

Friday 3 October 2025 16:41 , Alex Woodward

Senate Majority Leader John Thune says Democrats are “playing with fire” knowing full well that the Trump administration is mulling the prospect of mass layoffs during a prolonged government shutdown.

Trump and White House budget director Russell Vought, among the architects of Project 2025, are weighing drastic cuts to funding and pulling out billions of dollars to Democratic-led states and cities under the shutdown smokescreen.

“Once it starts, it’s hard to roll back,” Thune told reporters Friday.

“Everybody knows Russ Vought. And so I think you’re playing with fire when you do this,” he said.

(REUTERS)

Another shutdown loss: The Friday jobs report

Friday 3 October 2025 16:30 , Alex Woodward

Don’t expect the highly-anticipated, first-Friday-of-the-month jobs report to hit the streets today.

It’s another casualty of the federal shutdown.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics typically releases the previous month’s report at 8:30 a.m. ET while the agency is temporarily frozen.

But the data blackout comes at a perilous time in the U.S. economy and a chaotic period within the Trump administration’s volatile economic agenda.

Labor analysts got a glimpse of what would’ve been to come earlier this week, when new private-sector employment data released by payroll processing firm ADP showed a net loss of 32,000 jobs in September.

Economists had expected a gain of around 45,000 jobs.

Trump gets away from White House amid government shutdown — for a double date with Melania at the Vance’s

Friday 3 October 2025 16:15 , Andrew Feinberg

Rank-and-file employees have been forced to stay home on furlough or work without pay under threat of layoffs — but that isn’t stopping Trump from enjoying a couple’s night out.

The president, joined by First Lady Melania Trump, left the White House Thursday for the first time since government funding lapsed two days earlier for a six-minute motorcade along closed-off streets to a neighbor’s house — Vice President JD Vance’s official residence at the U.S. Naval Observatory.

Trump steps out for dinner with Melania at Vance’s house amid shutdown

Watch: Donald Trump stars in new grim-reaper themed AI generated music video

Friday 3 October 2025 16:00 , Alex Woodward

Trump posted an AI-generated music video covering Blue Öyster Cult’s “(Don't Fear) The Reaper” showing White House budget director Russell Vought as the titular scythe-wielding harbinger of death.

The video also shows Trump wearing a shroud and playing cowbell, with JD Vance on drums.

Stephen Colbert claps back with X-rated sombrero-sofa meme after JD Vance says Trump’s ‘racist’ AI videos are funny

Friday 3 October 2025 15:30 , Justin Baragona

Turning the tables on JD Vance, Stephen Colbert responded to the vice president’s defense of Donald Trump’s “racist and vulgar” AI-generated videos of Democratic leaders wearing sombreros by offering up his own deepfake clip of Vance.

Colbert claps back with sombrero-sofa meme after JD Vance defends Trump’s AI videos

What agencies are impacted by the shutdown?

Friday 3 October 2025 15:20 , Alex Woodward

Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security benefits should not be impacted by the shutdown.

But food assistance like the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) could be at risk if the shutdown drags on.

"A prolonged federal government shutdown of more than one week puts WIC families at risk," according to Georgia Machell, president and CEO of the National WIC Association.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement, however, will continue to operate; law enforcement is considered an “essential” function that will continue during any lapse in appropriations, though some workers may not get paid until the shutdown is over.

Immigration courts are also listed as open and operational, with guidance from the Justice Department listing immigration cases and deportation orders as essential work.

Federal courts will also remain open and will continue paid operations through at least Oct. 17.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that roughly 750,000 federal employees would be furloughed each day of the shutdown.

Trump spares DOGE and Russ Vought’s OMB from shutdown pain as thousands of White House staff are sent home

Friday 3 October 2025 15:15 , Eric Garcia

The Trump administration has exempted personnel working in the White House budget office and the Department of Government Efficiency from government shutdown furloughs — even as many other federal workers and White House staff are sent home with no pay.

A contingency plan released online showed that one-third of White House staff will be furloughed during the government shutdown.

Trump threatens more than $2B for Chicago

Friday 3 October 2025 15:00 , Alex Woodward

The Trump administration is planning to suspend $2.1 billion in federal infrastructure funding for Chicago, another attempt by the White House to use the government shutdown as both leverage and a smokescreen to target Democratic-led states and cities.

The Chicago funds support two massive transit modernization projects

White House budget director Russell Vought said the funding had been “put on hold to ensure funding is not flowing via race-based contracting.”

Shutdown, day 3: The Senate is back — but can they reach a breakthrough?

Friday 3 October 2025 14:32 , Alex Woodward

Good morning in America. I’m senior U.S. reporter Alex Woodward on today’s edition of our rolling coverage of the federal government shutdown.

It is day three.

The Senate is returning to the Capitol this afternoon to try reach an agreement on a spending plan to bring the government back to life.

Don’t expect any miracles, however.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters Thursday that it’s “unlikely” senators will be in the Capitol voting this weekend, effectively guaranteeing that the shutdown goes into next week.

“They’ll have a fourth chance tomorrow to vote to open up the government, and if that fails, we’ll give them the weekend to think about it, and then we’ll come back and vote on Monday,” Thune said.

The stalemate is likely to continue. Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he would meet with Republican leaders but no breakthroughs are expected.

Schumer said in a statement Thursday that GOP members need to work with Democrats “to reach an agreement to reopen the government and lower healthcare costs.”

Schumer warned a shutdown would hand Project 2025’s architect ‘freedom’ to slash the government. So why did he do just that?

Friday 3 October 2025 14:00 , Alex Croft

The Independent’s Washington bureau chief Eric Garcia brings the analysis:

Senate Democrats continued to hold the line on their standoff with Republicans as the government shutdown went into its second day on Thursday.

Already, President Donald Trump has said he would meet with Russell Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, “to determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a political SCAM, he recommends to be cut, and whether or not those cuts will be temporary or permanent.”

That should not come as a surprise to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who predicted as much as part of his reasoning for making the exact opposite decision in March, when faced with another continuing resolution that the House crafted without any Democratic input.

Schumer warned shutdown would allow Project 2025’s architect to slash the government

New poll shows more Americans blame Republicans for shutdown

Friday 3 October 2025 13:30 , Alex Croft

A new poll from The Washington Post indicates more Americans think Republicans, rather than Democrats, are responsible for the government shutdown.

In a poll of 1,010 Americans, about 47 percent said Trump and Republican lawmakers are mainly responsible. Meanwhile, 30 percent said Democratic lawmakers are mainly responsible, and 23 percent said they’re not sure.

It’s day two of the shutdown, and there’s still no sign of a deal between Senate Democrats and Republicans. The Senate is set to vote again on Friday.

Trump on Hakeem Jeffries Meeting: 'We got along very well'

Friday 3 October 2025 13:02 , Alex Croft

President Donald Trump told the One America News Network Thursday he and Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries “got along very well” during a meeting earlier this week to discuss a looming government shutdown, which took effect at midnight on Wednesday.

After the meeting, Trump posted a racist AI-generated video of Jeffries in a sombrero and handlebar mustache as Schumer’s digitally altered voice said, “nobody likes Democrats anymore” because of “all of our woke trans bulls***,” before baselessly claiming Democrats support giving undocumented immigrants free healthcare because the party needs “new voters.”

Democrats are demanding a reversal in Medicaid cuts from Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” and the extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies in exchange for their support on a funding bill to keep the government open.

Democrats call for Trump to be removed under the 25th Amendment after military threats to U.S. cities. But can he be?

Friday 3 October 2025 12:30 , Alex Croft

Donald Trump’s administration is facing another round of calls to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove the president from office in the wake of his remarks to an unprecedented assembly of the nation’s military leaders.

Trump’s Cabinet and then-Vice President Mike Pence faced similar demands in the aftermath of the January 6 attack, when a mob of the president’s supporters stormed the halls of Congress to derail the certification of an election he lost.

And it’s not the first time Trump has faced calls to step down since he returned to the White House in January. Liberal commentators and critics on social media routinely demand his Cabinet invoke the 25th Amendment.

Our senior reporter Alex Woodward writes:

Can Trump be removed under the 25th Amendment?

Speaker Johnson on Trump AI memes: Just ignore it

Friday 3 October 2025 12:01 , Alex Croft

What is Project 2025 - and why has Trump hit a screeching U-turn?

Friday 3 October 2025 11:30 , Alex Croft

Project 2025, The Heritage Foundation's massive proposed overhaul of the federal government, was drafted by many of President Trump’s long-serving allies and administration officials.

Trump’s campaign leaders in 2024 were livid at The Heritage Foundation for publishing the book of policies that Democrats tried to pin on the campaign, to warn a second Trump term would be too extreme.

The 900-plus page book made several proposals, particularly on curbing immigration and dismantling certain federal agencies.

"I know nothing about Project 2025," Trump, who spent much of last year denouncing the project, insisted in July 2024.

"I have no idea who is behind it. I disagree with some of the things they're saying and some of the things they're saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal. Anything they do, I wish them luck, but I have nothing to do with them."

QUANTICO, VIRGINIA - SEPTEMBER 30: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico on September 30, 2025 in Quantico, Virginia. In an unprecedented gathering, almost 800 generals, admirals and their senior enlisted leaders have been ordered into one location from around the world on short notice. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) (Getty Images)

But in a post on his Truth Social site Thursday morning, Trump announced he would be meeting with his budget chief, "Russ Vought, he of PROJECT 2025 Fame, to determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a political SCAM, he recommends to be cut, and whether or not those cuts will be temporary or permanent.

Shalanda Young, director of the Office of Management and Budget under Biden, said the administration had clearly been following the project's blueprint all along.

"I guess Democrats were right, but that doesn't make me feel better," she said. "I'm angry that this is happening after being told that this document was not going to be the centerpiece of this administration."

The government is shutting down. Immigration courts are wide open

Friday 3 October 2025 10:59 , Alex Croft

While a federal government shutdown imperils critical services for millions of Americans, courthouses that handle the fates of immigrants across the country will remain open for business for Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda.

Shutdown contingency plans for the Department of Justice deemed immigration court staff essential, suggesting that tens of thousands of deportation cases can proceed as normal. The American Immigration Lawyers Association told members that cases for clients who are not in Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers “are proceeding as usual” despite the government-wide shutdown.

“I have no reason to believe that it will change, because they want to deport as many people as they can,” according to Ohio immigration attorney Margaret Wong.

Alex Woodward reports:

The government is shutting down. Immigration courts are wide open

Trump calls Democrats ‘the party of hate, evil, and Satan’ in late-night Truth Social rant

Friday 3 October 2025 10:07 , Alex Croft

President Donald Trump has accused Democrats of being “the party of hate, evil, and Satan” on Truth Social in his latest broadside in response to the U.S. government shutdown.

As part of a short posting spree late on Thursday, the president posted an image of a frowning Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, surrounded by unflattering images of New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, former House speaker Nancy Pelosi and Joe and Jill Biden, under the headline: “The Party of Hate, Evil, and Satan.”

Below that, the post declared: “The Democratic Party is Dead! They have no leadership! No message! No hope! Their only message for America is to hate Trump.”

Joe Sommerlad reports:

Trump calls Democrats ‘the party of hate, evil, and Satan’ in late-night rant

'Unlikely' that senators vote this weekend, meaning shutdown set to continue - Thune

Friday 3 October 2025 10:06 , Alex Croft

It is “unlikely” that senators will vote in the Capitol this weekend, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said on Thursday, which would effectively guarantee that the government shutdown will continue into the next week.

“They’ll have a fourth chance tomorrow to vote to open up the government, and if that fails, we’ll give them the weekend to think about it, and then we’ll come back and vote on Monday,” Thune told reporters according to Politico.

As the government enters the third day of shutdown, congressional leaders and the White House remain in stalemate.

While Thune hinted he could meet Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer this week, he was sceptical that a meeting would produce a breakthrough.

Schumer said Democrats and Republicans need to work together “to reach an agreement to reopen the government and lower healthcare costs” in a statement on Thursday.

Trump announces his 'big plans' for 2026: 'I want to survive'

Friday 3 October 2025 10:02 , Alex Croft

President Trump joked about the two assassination attempts against his life — and, seemingly, the murder of Charlie Kirk — in an interview that aired Thursday afternoon on OANN.

He was asked by OANN’s correspondent, Daniel Baldwin, whether he had any “big plans” for the upcoming year, as Republicans face midterm congressional elections that could endanger one or both of their House and Senate majorities.

Instead of getting into how he’d help his party retain seats in the midterms, a chuckling President Trump responded: “Yeah, I do have big plans. Yeah, I have big plans. I want to survive.”

“You look at what’s going on, it’s crazy. The rhetoric that these crazy Democrats are using is very dangerous,” Trump insisted.

Trump repeatedly blames the president for government shutdowns in resurfaced clips

Friday 3 October 2025 09:29 , Alex Croft

Chuck Schumer calls cuts to energy projects 'illegal'

Friday 3 October 2025 09:00 , Rachel Dobkin

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has called nearly $8 billion in cuts to energy projects “illegal.”

“Trump’s Department of Energy is terminating ~$8B for 200+ energy projects,” Schumer wrote on X Thursday night. “Democrats are fighting this illegal action because we need to lower costs and produce more energy here in America.”

Politico reported earlier Thursday Senate Democrats claimed that unilaterally reducing spending approved by Congress is against the law.

Hours into the shutdown Wednesday, White House budget office director Russ Vought announced, “Nearly $8 billion in Green New Scam funding to fuel the Left's climate agenda is being cancelled” in 16 states.

All 16 states voted for the Democratic candidate, then-Vice President Kamala Harris, for president in 2024, instead of President Donald Trump, as noted by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins.

Collins asked Energy Secretary Chris Wright Thursday, “Are you punishing only blue states?”

Wright responded: “Not at all. This is a partial list of an ongoing process. More project announcements will come.”

Trump posts video calling White House aide 'the reaper' ahead of federal cuts

Friday 3 October 2025 08:30 , Alex Croft

President Trump posted several videos and memes on Truth Social on which appeared to be trolling congressional Democrats.

Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought was the target of one which described him as the “grim reaper”.

"Russ Vought is the reaper / he wields the pen, the funds and the brain," is sung to the tune of Blue Öyster Cult's "(Don't Fear) The Reaper”, along with an animated video depicting Vought as the Grim Reaper itself with Trump on the cowbell and Vice President JD Vance on the drums.

Vought’s office is weighing up the federal cuts and layoffs which Trump has said could save the government “billions”.

(AP)

Can I fly to and from the U.S. during the shutdown?

Friday 3 October 2025 08:29 , Alex Croft

The Independent’s travel correspondent Simon Calder looks at whether airports are still functioning:

At the Department of Homeland Security, which looks after airport security as well as Customs and Border Protection, only nine per cent of staff – in back-office roles – will stop working. The remainder are classed as essential workers. Processing of international arrivals will continue as normal, as will screening of airline passengers boarding flights in the US.

But even though front-line staff continue to turn up, a technical failure that affected airport processing could cause problems for travellers. The trade body Airlines For America says: “The system may need to slow down, reducing efficiency.

“When federal employees who manage air traffic, inspect aircraft and secure our nation’s aviation system are furloughed or working without pay, the entire industry and millions of Americans feel the strain."

In previous shutdowns, some controllers have called in sick and the number of flights has been cut.

Given the number of cyberattacks on the travel industry recently, it is noteworthy that only one-third of the staff at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) will keep working – at the start of what is officially Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

In July 1,000 staff at CISA were fired as part of the campaign for “government efficiency”.

Mike Johnson offers advice to ‘friend’ Hakeem Jeffries about racist Trump sombrero videos: ‘Just ignore it’

Friday 3 October 2025 08:00 , Rachel Dobkin

House Speaker Mike Johnson called on his “friend” Hakeem Jeffries to just shrug off the flurry of racist and vulgar AI-generated videos that President Donald Trump and other Republicans have posted featuring the House minority leader wearing a sombrero and sporting a cartoonish handlebar mustache.

“Just ignore it,” Johnson advised Jeffries on Thursday, adding that the memes are nothing more than “games” and “sideshows.”

Meanwhile, the speaker refused to offer any solution to the ongoing government shutdown, adding that it is up to Senate Democrats to pass the short-term stopgap spending bill that the House has already approved.

“I quite literally have nothing to negotiate,” Johnson declared in a press conference, blaming Democrats for “inflicting pain” on the American public and causing the shutdown in the first place.

Read more from Justin Baragona:

Mike Johnson offers advice to Hakeem Jeffries about racist Trump sombrero videos

Education Department employees out-of-office emails changed to blame Democrats: report

Friday 3 October 2025 07:00 , Rachel Dobkin

Several workers inside the Education Department had their out-of-office emails changed to messages that blame the Democrats for the government shutdown, according to a new report.

“None of us consented to this. And it’s written in the first-person, as if I’m the one conveying this message, and I’m not. I don’t agree with it. I don’t think it’s ethical or legal. I think it violates the Hatch Act,” one employee told NBC News.

Madi Biedermann, the deputy assistant secretary for communications at the Education Department, told the outlet, “The email reminds those who reach out to Department of Education employees that we cannot respond because Senate Democrats are refusing to vote for a clean CR and fund the government. Where’s the lie?”

Alex Woodward does a deep dive into the legality of the Trump administration using federal resources to blame Democrats for the shutdown:

Trump is using taxpayer dollars to blame Democrats for the shutdown. Is it legal?

Hakeem Jeffries quotes Jay-Z in rebuke of GOP

Friday 3 October 2025 06:00 , Rachel Dobkin

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has quoted rapper Jay-Z in a rebuke of Republicans on the ‘high cost of living.”

“This year they've done nothing, ‘zip, zero, stingy with dinero’ to lower the high cost of living for every day Americans,” Jefferies told reporters Thursday, per Washington Post reporter Kadia Goba.

This was an apparent reference to Jay-Z’s 2000 hit song “I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me).”

Watch: Tim Walz calls out GOP for posting 'memes' while federal workers are being furloughed

Friday 3 October 2025 05:00 , Rachel Dobkin

Tim Walz, Minnesota governor and former Democratic vice presidential candidate, called out Republicans Thursday for posting “memes” while federal workers are being furloughed.

President Donald Trump had posted AI-generated videos of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in a sombrero and handlebar mustache, and GOP Senator Ted Cruz has followed suit:

Ted Cruz mimics Trump’s new trope and puts sombrero on Senate Democrats

The memes come amid Republicans’ baseless claims that Democrats are trying to give undocumented immigrants free healthcare in Congress’s federal funding fight.

Fox News host questions if Trump knew about Project 2025 'all long'

Friday 3 October 2025 04:40 , Rachel Dobkin

Fox News host John Roberts has read a recent social media post from Donald Trump, in which he referenced Project 2025, and asked if the president knew about the conservative plan “all along.”

Thursday morning, Trump wrote on Truth Social that he was meeting with White House budget office director Russ Vought, “he of PROJECT 2025 Fame, to determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a political SCAM, he recommends to be cut, and whether or not those cuts will be temporary or permanent,” amid the government shutdown.

Later Thursday, Roberts, who was filling in for host Bret Baier on Special Report, also referenced a post from Trump in July 2024, in which he said, “I know nothing about Project 2025. I have no idea who’s behind it,” per Mediaite.

“Did he just learn about Project 2025 in the last year, or did he know about it all along?” Robert asked.

In 2023, the Heritage Foundation released Project 2025 as a plan for “a White House more friendly to the right,” according to the conservative think tank.

Statue of Trump and Jeffrey Epstein holding hands mysteriously reappears on National Mall

Friday 3 October 2025 04:20 , Rachel Dobkin

A 12-foot-tall statue depicting President Donald Trump and late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein holding hands has reappeared on the National Mall, just days after its removal drew national attention.

The statue, titled “Best Friends Forever,” first appeared on September 23 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., accompanied by a plaque that read: “We celebrate the long-lasting bond between President Donald J. Trump and his ‘closest friend,’ Jeffrey Epstein.”

The statue had a permit to remain on the property until September 28, but it was hauled off only one day after it was installed. The Interior Department told The Washington Post that park officials removed the statue because it was “not compliant with the permit issued,” but did not elaborate on why it was out of compliance.

The Secret Handshake, a small anonymous group that claims to be behind the statue, previously told The Independent that the statue was broken as it was removed.

Read more from Katie Hawkinson:

Statue of Trump and Epstein holding hands mysteriously reappears on National Mall

Watch: Trump continues to baselessly claim Democrats want to give free healthcare to undocumented immigrants

Friday 3 October 2025 04:01 , Rachel Dobkin

President Donald Trump has continued to baselessly claim Democrats want to give free healthcare to undocumented immigrants.

"They want illegal aliens to get taken care of with healthcare,” Trump said on a One America News Network interview released Thursday. “Everybody in the world is going to enter our country and say, ‘Give us free healthcare.”’

The government shut down at midnight Wednesday after the Senate failed to pass a GOP short-term funding bill.

Democrats have demanded the reversal of Medicaid cuts from Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” and the extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies in exchange for their support of a spending plan.

Republicans have claimed Democrats want to give undocumented immigrants free healthcare, despite the group not being eligible for federal healthcare programs aside from emergency services.

Energy secretary says cuts to climate-related projects not tied to government shutdown

Friday 3 October 2025 03:40 , Rachel Dobkin

Energy Secretary Chris Wright has said the nearly $8 billion in cuts to climate-related projects was not tied to the government shutdown.

Hours into the shutdown Wednesday, White House budget office director Russ Vought announced, “Nearly $8 billion in Green New Scam funding to fuel the Left's climate agenda is being cancelled” in 16 states.

When asked by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Thursday if the cuts had anything to do with the shutdown, Wright said, “No, our decisions have been made over the last few months.”

The government is shutting down. Immigration courts are wide open

Friday 3 October 2025 03:20 , Rachel Dobkin

While a federal government shutdown imperils critical services for millions of Americans, courthouses that handle the fates of immigrants across the country will remain open for business for Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda.

Shutdown contingency plans for the Department of Justice deemed immigration court staff essential, suggesting that tens of thousands of deportation cases can proceed as normal. The American Immigration Lawyers Association told members that cases for clients who are not in Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers “are proceeding as usual” despite the government-wide shutdown.

“I have no reason to believe that it will change, because they want to deport as many people as they can,” according to Ohio immigration attorney Margaret Wong.

But Justice Department attorneys are also making dozens of requests to federal judges to pause high-profile immigration cases with the fates of tens of thousands of people at stake, citing a “lapse of appropriations” during the congressional budget fight that has prohibited lawyers from working on most cases “except in very limited circumstances.”

Read more from Alex Woodward:

The government is shutting down. Immigration courts are wide open

White House has list of agencies soon to be hit with federal firings: report

Friday 3 October 2025 03:00 , Rachel Dobkin

The White House has created a list of agencies soon to be hit with federal firings, two Trump administration officials told CNN.

The list is expected to be announced “as early as Friday,” CNN’s Alayna Treene wrote on X Thursday.

Trump announced earlier Thursday he was meeting with White House budget office director Russ Vought “to determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a political SCAM, he recommends to be cut, and whether or not those cuts will be temporary or permanent.”

'Any time. Any place': Hakeem Jeffries agrees to meet with Trump and Vance in front of the press

Friday 3 October 2025 02:40 , Rachel Dobkin

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has agreed to meet with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance in front of the press, telling MeidasTouch, “Any time. Any place.”

When asked by MeidasTouch co-founder Ben Meiselas on Thursday if he’s willing to meet with Trump, Vance and Senate Majority Leader John Thune in public at the U.S. Capitol building Friday Jeffries said, “Absolutely. Any time. Any place.”

“And we’ll even let [House Speaker] Mike Johnson into the meeting as well,” Jeffries added.

Trump met with Jeffries, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Thune and Johnson Monday about the looming government shutdown, which began Wednesday at midnight.

After the meeting, Trump posted a racist AI-generated video of Jeffries in a sombrero and handlebar mustache as Schumer’s digitally altered voice said, “nobody likes Democrats anymore” because of “all of our woke trans bulls***,” before baselessly claiming Democrats support giving undocumented immigrants free healthcare because the party needs “new voters.”

Democrats are demanding a reversal in Medicaid cuts from Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” and the extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies in exchange for their support on a funding bill to keep the government open.

Analysis: Schumer warned a shutdown would hand Project 2025’s architect ‘freedom’ to slash the government. So why did he do just that?

Friday 3 October 2025 02:20 , Rachel Dobkin

Senate Democrats continued to hold the line on their standoff with Republicans as the government shutdown went into its second day on Thursday.

Already, President Donald Trump has said he would meet with Russell Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, “to determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a political SCAM, he recommends to be cut, and whether or not those cuts will be temporary or permanent.”

That should not come as a surprise to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who predicted as much as part of his reasoning for making the exact opposite decision in March, when faced with another continuing resolution that the House crafted without any Democratic input.

“In effect, a shutdown gives Trump and his minions, keys to the city and the country,” Schumer told reporters way back then, a whole six months ago. “A shutdown gives the executive branch — in this case, Trump, Russ Vought and DOGE — pretty much complete freedom as to what parts of the government to fund and what parts not.”

Read more from Eric Garcia:

Schumer warned shutdown would allow Project 2025’s architect to slash the government

Watch: Trump threatens to cut Democrats' 'favorite projects'

Friday 3 October 2025 02:00 , Rachel Dobkin

Trump announces his 'big plans' for 2026: 'I want to survive'

Friday 3 October 2025 01:40 , John Bowden

President Trump joked about the two assassination attempts against his life — and, seemingly, the murder of Charlie Kirk — in an interview that aired Thursday afternoon on OANN.

He was asked by OANN’s correspondent, Daniel Baldwin, whether he had any “big plans” for the upcoming year, as Republicans face midterm congressional elections that could endanger one or both of their House and Senate majorities.

Instead of getting into how he’d help his party retain seats in the midterms, a chuckling President Trump responded: “Yeah, I do have big plans. Yeah, I have big plans. I want to survive.”

“You look at what’s going on, it’s crazy. The rhetoric that these crazy Democrats are using is very dangerous,” Trump insisted.

Democrat says 'chaos is the goal' in government shutdown

Friday 3 October 2025 01:20 , Rachel Dobkin

Pramila Jayapal, a Washington Democrat, has blamed Republicans for the government shutdown, saying “chaos is the goal.”

“Republicans think if they create enough confusion, we won’t notice them stealing our health care. We see it — and we’re not backing down,” Jayapal wrote on X Thursday.

Republicans and Democrats are blaming each other for the government shutdown as Democrats demand the reversal of Medicaid cuts from Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” and the extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies in exchange for their support of a spending plan.

In a rare outing, Trump visits JD Vance's home for dinner amid government shutdown

Friday 3 October 2025 01:00 , Rachel Dobkin

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrived at Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha Vance's home Thursday night for dinner amid the government shutdown, according to the Associated Press.

The Vances live at the U.S. Naval Observatory, marking a rare outing for the president in Washington, D.C.

Kamala Harris said government shutdown cuts were 'always the plan' for Trump

Friday 3 October 2025 00:40 , Rachel Dobkin

Former Vice President Kamala Harris said federal cuts President Donald Trump plans to make amid the government shutdown were “always the plan.”

“Project 2025 was Donald Trump's blueprint to seize unchecked power within the federal government and restrict Americans' freedoms. And he is implementing it right in front of our eyes,” Harris, Trump’s rival in the 2024 presidential election, wrote on X Thursday.

In 2023, the Heritage Foundation released Project 2025 as a plan for “a White House more friendly to the right,” according to the conservative think tank.

Watch: Hakeem Jeffries thinks 'public sentiment' will cause Republicans to cave and negotiate with Democrats

Friday 3 October 2025 00:20 , Rachel Dobkin

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has said he thinks “public sentiment” will cause Republicans to cave and negotiate with Democrats over healthcare.

“At the end of the day, the public knows that Donald Trump and Republicans have shut the federal government down,” Jeffries said.

Republicans and Democrats are blaming each other for the government shutdown as Democrats demand the reversal of Medicaid cuts from Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” and the extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies in exchange for their support of a spending plan.

Trump administration faces more Hatch Act complaints over ‘egregious’ website messages

Friday 3 October 2025 00:00 , Alex Woodward

Public Citizen has filed seven more Hatch Act complaints against federal agencies that explicitly blamed Democrats or the “radical left” for the federal shutdown on their websites.

Yesterday, the consumer protection group filed two violation complaints, against the Department for Housing and Human Services and the Small Business Administration.

“The Trump administration is violating the Hatch Act with reckless abandon — using taxpayer dollars to plaster partisan screeds on every government homepage that they can get their hands on,” Public Citizen’s Craig Holman, who filed the complaints, said in a statement Thursday.“

Even for an administration that flouts ethics guidelines regularly, these messages are a particularly egregious and clear-cut sign that Trump and his cabinet see themselves as above the law,” he said. “They must not be allowed to continue this behavior unchecked.”

Here’s a full breakdown of the issue:

Trump is using taxpayer dollars to blame Democrats for the shutdown. Is it legal?

White House launches government shutdown clock

Thursday 2 October 2025 23:40 , Rachel Dobkin

The White House has launched a government shutdown clock, adding fuel to the debate over the Trump administration using federal resources to blame Democrats for the shutdown.

The White House has launched a government shutdown clock (White House)

The White House also added a map where Americans can read a letter from their state in support of a “clean CR,” or continuing resolution, which Republicans have pushed for.

Democrats are demanding a reversal in Medicaid cuts from Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” and the extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies in exchange for their support on a funding bill to keep the government open.

Alex Woodward writes about how this messaging has raised concerns about ethics laws:

Trump is using taxpayer dollars to blame Democrats for the shutdown. Is it legal?

Watch: Mike Johnson says Chuck Schumer 'forced' Russ Vought to make federal cuts

Thursday 2 October 2025 23:20 , Rachel Dobkin

House Speaker Mike Johnson has told Fox Business Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer “forced” the White House’s budget office director, Russ Vought, to make federal cuts.

Trump said Thursday morning he was meeting with Vought to “determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a political SCAM, he recommends to be cut.”

GOP senator says Friday's funding vote is 'crucial'

Thursday 2 October 2025 23:00 , Rachel Dobkin

Senator Mike Rounds, a South Dakota Republican, has told Fox News Friday’s vote on a funding bill to open the government is “crucial.”

“I think it has to be done by tomorrow, or things go south real quick,” he said.

Trump insists he 'didn't want' shutdown but will take the opportunity to cut Democrats' 'favorite projects'

Thursday 2 October 2025 22:25 , Rachel Dobkin

President Donald Trump has insisted he “didn't want” the government shutdown but will take the opportunity to cut Democrats' “favorite projects.”

When asked during a pre-taped One America News Network interview that aired Thursday, about potential firings amid the shutdown, Trump said, “There could be firings, and that’s their fault,” referring to Democratic lawmakers.

“And then we could cut projects that they wanted, favorite projects, and then they'd be permanently cut,” Trump said. “A lot of people are saying Trump wanted this, that I wanted this closing, and I didn't want it, but a lot of people are saying it because I'm allowed to cut things that should have never been approved in the first place, and I will probably do that.”

Trump on Hakeem Jeffries Meeting: 'We got along very well'

Thursday 2 October 2025 22:11 , Rachel Dobkin

President Donald Trump told the One America News Network Thursday he and Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries “got along very well” during a meeting earlier this week to discuss a looming government shutdown, which took effect at midnight on Wednesday.

After the meeting, Trump posted a racist AI-generated video of Jeffries in a sombrero and handlebar mustache as Schumer’s digitally altered voice said, “nobody likes Democrats anymore” because of “all of our woke trans bulls***,” before baselessly claiming Democrats support giving undocumented immigrants free healthcare because the party needs “new voters.”

Democrats are demanding a reversal in Medicaid cuts from Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” and the extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies in exchange for their support on a funding bill to keep the government open.

Newsom trolls ‘Marie Antoinette’ Trump over decision to protect his ballroom while pushing cuts: ‘No health care for you’

Thursday 2 October 2025 22:00 , Katie Hawkinson

Gavin 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.

Keep reading:

Newsom trolls ‘Marie Antoinette’ Trump over decision to protect ballroom amid layoffs

Watch: AOC gives Bronx school group a tour of the Capitol after shutdown sent guides home

Thursday 2 October 2025 21:30 , Katie Hawkinson

AOC gives Bronx school group a tour of the Capitol after shutdown sent guides home

New poll shows more Americans blame Republicans for shutdown

Thursday 2 October 2025 21:00 , Katie Hawkinson

A new poll from The Washington Post indicates more Americans think Republicans, rather than Democrats, are responsible for the government shutdown.

In a poll of 1,010 Americans, about 47 percent said Trump and Republican lawmakers are mainly responsible. Meanwhile, 30 percent said Democratic lawmakers are mainly responsible, and 23 percent said they’re not sure.

It’s day two of the shutdown, and there’s still no sign of a deal between Senate Democrats and Republicans. The Senate is set to vote again on Friday.

Weekend votes 'unlikely' if shutdown continues past Friday, Thune says

Thursday 2 October 2025 20:28 , Katie Hawkinson

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the chamber is “unlikely” to hold votes on funding over the weekend if the shutdown is not resolved by Friday, CNN reports.

The Senate, which is out today in observance of Yom Kippur, plans to vote on funding bills again tomorrow.

If a bill passes, the shutdown will end. But if the Senate fails to pass a bill, Thune says the next vote likely won’t be until next week.

“They’ll have a fourth chance tomorrow to vote to keep — to open up the government,” he said. “And if that fails, then they can have the weekend to think about it, we’ll come back, we’ll vote again on Monday.”

When asked Thursday if his colleagues in the Senate need to work through the weekend, Speaker Mike Johnson replied, “Of course they do.”

“The House is coming back next week hoping that they will be sending us something to work on and we can get back to work,” he said, according to CNN.

‘The president is ... unwell’: Mike Johnson doesn’t refute claim as Democrat assails Trump to his face over generals address

Thursday 2 October 2025 20:00 , Katie Hawkinson

Speaker Mike Johnson failed to refute a lawmaker’s claim that Donald Trump is “unwell” following the president’s speech to an unprecedented assembly of U.S. military leaders.

Read more from Josh Marcus:

Mike Johnson doesn’t refute claim Trump ‘unwell’ as Democrat assails general speech

Analysis: Buckle up, America — Republicans and Democrats appear dug in for a long government shutdown

Thursday 2 October 2025 19:30 , Eric Garcia

Well, they went and did it. So, now what?

On Tuesday evening, Democrats voted against a stopgap spending bill the House of Representatives passed last month to keep the government open, triggering a government shutdown.

The minority party did so on the premise that they wanted the continuing resolution vote to extend subsidies for the Affordable Care Act marketplace put in place during the Covid-19 pandemic, which received another extension in 2022.

Needless to say, neither side has a political incentive to give an inch, which means this could be a long shutdown.

Keep reading:

Buckle up — Republicans and Democrats appear dug in for a long government shutdown

Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.