President Trump's threats of mid-shutdown mass firings are contingent on whether Democrats cave amid a government funding standoff, National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett suggested Sunday.
The big picture: The shutdown, which Trump has framed as an "unprecedented opportunity" to make cuts to agencies, has seemingly emboldened a White House that's been eager to concentrate the president's power in unprecedented ways.
- On Wednesday, Axios' Kate Santaliz reported that Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought said the administration would start firing workers in a day or two.
- So far, there have been several threats — but no mass layoffs.
Driving the news: Hassett signaled on CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday that layoffs will start "if the president decides that the negotiations are absolutely going nowhere."
- He said he's hopeful "we can get the Democrats to see that it's just common sense to avoid layoffs like that."
- If Democrats are "reasonable once they get back into town on Monday," Hassett said, then he sees "no reason for those layoffs."
Between the lines: The shutdown has triggered a massive partisan blame game.
- That messaging war has seen the Trump administration using government websites to air their political grievances on Democrats, who have been quick to point out that Republicans hold a trifecta in Washington.
State of play: Trump said in a Thursday social media post that he'd meet with Vought to discuss "which of the many Democrat Agencies" should "be cut." Late that night, he posted an AI-generated video framing Vought as the shutdown "reaper" in a musical parody.
- Asked what the president meant by "Democrat Agencies," Hassett told CNN's Jake Tapper, "I guess that's shorthand for the agencies that generally are the favorites of the Democrats."
- He continued, "I think that President Trump and Russ Vought are lining things up and getting ready to act if they have to, but hoping that they don't."
The other side: Labor unions representing government workers sued the Trump administration last week over the "unlawful" threats, slamming "the cynical use of federal employees as a pawn" in negotiations.
- Federal officials have also quietly warned that firing workers while the government is shut down could violate appropriations law, The Washington Post reported.
Zoom out: House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), when asked on NBC News' "Meet the Press" Sunday if he supported laying off workers during the funding lapse, said "it is a regrettable situation that the president does not want."
- Pressed repeatedly, he put the onus on Democratic leaders.
- "In a situation like this, where the Senate Democrats have decided to turn the keys to the kingdom over to the White House, they have to make tough decisions," he said.
- On CBS News' "Face the Nation," Johnson said he does not want layoffs to be used as leverage.
Friction point: Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said on NBC in response to Johnson, "As for the Speaker telling you or not telling you his position on the president threatening the mass layoffs of federal employees — there's no one forcing him to do that."
- He continued, "He will do that because he wants to do that, because he and Russell [Vought] both want to cause even more pain for the American people."
Catch up quick: Vought last week announced the termination of nearly $8 billion worth of financial support for clean-energy projects in 16 states, all of which voted for Kamala Harris last year.
What we're watching: The last time there was a conversation with Republican leadership was Monday at the White House, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said on NBC Sunday.
- "We will continue to make clear, Leader Schumer and myself, that we will sit down any time, any place, with anyone to address this issue with the seriousness that it deserves," he said Sunday.
Go deeper: House GOP cancels more votes in escalation of shutdown strategy
