What happens when Washington runs out of money — and patience?
The White House is telling federal agencies to brace for mass firings if Congress can’t dodge a government shutdown next week.
According to a memo obtained by U.S. media, officials have been instructed to draft “reduction in force” plans.
This is for any programs that lose funding after the 30 September budget deadline.
The warning comes as President Trump ups the pressure on Democrats.
He cancelled a meeting with party leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries on Tuesday.
He called their healthcare funding demands “unserious and ridiculous.”
Without a deal, non-essential government functions could grind to a halt on 1 October.
Democrats Dismiss Trump Memo As Theater
Democrats accuse the White House of intimidation.
“Donald Trump has been firing federal workers since day one — not to govern, but to scare,” Schumer said, dismissing the memo as political theater.
The administration, meanwhile, insists it’s simply preparing for the worst.
A House-passed stopgap funding bill was blocked in the Senate.
Democrats want to restore Medicaid funding cut by Trump’s “One, Big Beautiful Bill” in July.
With time running out, the showdown is shaping up to be a test of brinkmanship.
Government shutdown or not, the memo leaves one thing clear: the stakes — and the tensions — are real.
