US Government Shutdown Highlights: White House warns of mass layoffs as shutdown continues into next week

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the largest union representing federal workers, filed a lawsuit late Friday against the Trump administration, accusing it of inserting partisan language into furloughed employees’ out-of-office email messages without their consent during the government shutdown, the New York Times reported.

In its complaint filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, the AFGE alleged that the administration “unlawfully compelled agencies and civil servants across the federal government to engage in political rhetoric to serve the interests of the governing party”. The lawsuit called the step going far beyond the acceptable use of the presidential platform, according to NYT.

The lawsuit marks the first legal challenge to what the union calls the administration’s attempt to politicise the nonpartisan federal workforce during the shutdown. The Department of Education and its secretary, Linda McMahon, were named as defendants in the case, the report said.

On the Day 4 of federal shutdown, essential government agencies and services remained operational. Many employees continued to work without pay. The Trump administration has previously indicated that thousands of federal layoffs could begin in the coming days because of the shutdown.

With the government shutdown showing no signs of ending, a Washington–based food bank is preparing to support a growing number of people affected by the crisis. According to a CNN report, the Capital Area Food Bank is keeping its warehouse fully stocked as it braces for increased demand. The organisation estimates that around 75,000 federal workers in the region live paycheck-to-paycheck and could soon need assistance, the report stated.

A similar preparation is underway at food banks in Iowa for possible increase in demand.

The US Senate was adjourned for the weekend after failing for the fourth time to advance either party’s proposal to reopen the federal government. The impasse guarantees the shutdown will continue at least until Monday.

– Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Republicans will not meet Democrats’ demands to tie a temporary spending bill to health care-related provisions

– With no compromise in sight, the earliest possible vote to end the shutdown could come Monday

– House Speaker Mike Johnson announced the House will not reconvene next week as scheduled

– Johnson told reporters there was “no point” in bringing the House back until the Senate passes the Republican stopgap spending measure

– The extended deadlock means hundreds of thousands of federal employees face continued uncertainty, with many agencies bracing for an extended shutdown

The US House of Representatives announced no proceedings next week as Republican Speaker Mike Johnson declared a “district work period” until October 13. Lawmakers can remain in their home states rather than travel to Washington.

A federal worker on probation told BBC, “I don’t know that the anxiety around layoffs is any different now… There has been a concern for that writ large since about February.” Anxiety over job security continues to loom over the federal workforce, adding to stress during the shutdown.

Federal workers in northern Virginia are scared amid the shutdown, following earlier mass layoffs this year. Once considered a stable career, federal jobs now carry uncertainty, with towns like Alexandria seeing some of the biggest unemployment increases nationwide. Many employees are reluctant to speak publicly for fear of retribution, BBC reported.

While the government shutdown shows no signs of ending, these standoffs are ultimately about which side can endure the most pain before giving in.

Republicans need five Democrats to join them to break the deadlock, as Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) opposes most spending bills, and three Democrats, Sens. Angus King (I-Maine), John Fetterman (D-Penn.), and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), have already sided with them.

President Donald Trump has vowed to “clear out deadwood, waste and fraud” in government, while Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, the architect of Project 2025, has canceled projects in Democrat-run, or “blue,” states. The resulting pressure may push more Democrats to cross the aisle to approve a continuing resolution.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed Democrats shut down the government to secure free healthcare for undocumented immigrants.

On X, he wrote “MAHA held hostage,” referring to his “Make America Healthy Again” initiative. In reality, undocumented immigrants are only eligible for emergency healthcare, and Democrats are focused on reversing Medicaid cuts and extending ACA subsidies.

Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva of Arizona says she has had “no direct communication” with House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office as her swearing-in is postponed.

Votes scheduled next week have been canceled, delaying her official start and other House business until mid-October.

President Trump plans a large Navy celebration this weekend in Norfolk, Virginia, for the service’s 250th birthday, despite active-duty servicemembers working without pay.

Military paychecks will stop on October 15 if Congress does not approve a funding bill. Trump announced the event on Truth Social, writing, “THE SHOW MUST GO ON!”

While thousands of White House staff face furloughs, personnel at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) remain exempt, according to Independent.

A contingency plan shows 554 of 1,733 Executive Office staff will be furloughed, while 1,179 continue to work. Agencies like OMB and DOGE receive funding outside of Congress, protecting their employees.

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

Chairman Steven Wadsworth shared in a letter that several tribal departments, including the Museum and Visitors Center, Parks and Recreation, and Higher Education, will remain closed until funding resumes.

As part of the shutdown response, OMB Director Russell Vought announced the suspension of $2.1bn in federal infrastructure funding for Chicago, following previous freezes of $18bn for New York City and $8bn for federal energy projects in some Democratic-run states.

Senate Democrats, including Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, maintained their fight for healthcare protections, while some senators want direct input from the president due to concerns that Trump could override any negotiated agreements. Polls show Americans are split on the blame: 47% hold Republicans responsible, 30% blame Democrats, and 23% remain unsure.

Both sides continue to blame each other for the shutdown, with little progress in negotiations. Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley told the BBC, “We can vote and vote and vote. But it’s up to basically five people.”

Leavitt accused Democrats of holding Americans “hostage over their demands,” warning that $15bn (£11.1bn) in GDP could be lost each week as unemployment rises. The White House has not provided a timeline or full scope for potential federal worker layoffs, but Leavitt suggested most cuts would target agencies “that do not align with this administration’s values.”

Democrats aim to use the impasse to protect low-income health insurance subsidies and reverse Trump-era Medicaid cuts. Republicans, meanwhile, accuse Democrats of shutting down the government to provide healthcare to undocumented immigrants—a charge Democrats deny.

A Republican-led funding proposal received 54 votes in favor, 44 against, and 2 not voting. A Democrat-led proposal failed with 45 in favor and 52 against.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt warned that if the shutdown continues, the administration will face the “unenviable task” of mass layoffs to keep essential government services running, describing the measure as an act of “fiscal sanity.” Discussions on the scope of potential layoffs are ongoing with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

The US House of Representatives has announced that no sessions are scheduled next week. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has declared a “district work period” starting Tuesday. During this time, lawmakers can remain in their home states instead of coming to Washington to vote. This period will continue through 13 October.

The deadlock leaves thousands of federal workers in limbo and raises questions about when basic government services will resume. Lawmakers are expected to return to negotiations in the coming days, but neither side has shown any major shift in position yet.

A counterproposal put forward by Senate Democrats also failed to advance, suggesting deep divisions in Congress. With both plans blocked, the shutdown is now expected to stretch into at least next week.

The Senate held another vote on a Republican proposal to reopen the government, but it fell short with a 54-44 outcome, failing to reach the 60 votes required to break a filibuster.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. said earlier on MSNBC, Trump “is in the presidential witness protection program — no one can find him when it comes to the government shutdown issue, because he knows he’s responsible for having caused it,” Jeffries said.

In a Truth Social post, the president announced that he is reversing a decision made earlier this week by the Department of Homeland Security. That decision would have reduced law enforcement funding for New York by $187 million.

“I am pleased to advise that I reversed the cuts made to Homeland Security and Counterterrorism for New York City and State. It was my Honor to do so. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Trump wrote in his post.

Senate will vote this afternoon on two stopgap government funding measures that have already failed three times in recent weeks. If the votes fail again, the Senate is expected to adjourn for the weekend, extending the shutdown for at least six more days.

Senate Democrats are holding a regular lunch meeting today in the Capitol, where they will discuss the next steps ahead of the votes. It will be notable if any Senate Democrats vote alongside Republicans to move forward with the clean stopgap funding bill passed by the House.

Speaker Mike Johnson on Friday said that the Trump administration is making important decisions about layoffs. “Are they taking great pleasure in that? No. Is he trolling the Democrats? Yes. I mean, yes, because that’s what President Trump does, and people are having fun with this. But at the end of the day, the decisions are tough ones,” Johnson told reporters at a press conference on Capitol Hill.

The Senate has reconvened on the third day of the government shutdown, with both Democrats and Republicans set to present their respective spending bill proposals once again.

House Speaker Mike Johnson shared on Today that he is still awaiting specific details about the cuts planned by Vought and Trump. Johnson met with Trump’s legislative team at the White House on Thursday to discuss the matter.

Motor vehicle departments are mainly funded by state budgets and often receive additional support from fees collected for various services, according to the LegalClarity Team.

This Jobs Friday, the release of September’s employment data will be delayed. The BLS, along with other federal agencies, is temporarily closed due to the ongoing government shutdown.