Trump Uses Shutdown To Tighten Control Over Federal Spending And Threaten Mass Cuts In 'Democratic Agencies'

Benzinga

Trump escalated the government shutdown, freezing transit and green-energy funding while threatening mass federal worker firings. About 2 million employees have had pay suspended as $1.7 trillion in funding remains locked. Democrats accused Trump of using workers as “pawns,” while Republicans said he has authority to allocate funds during the standoff.

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00:00It's Benzinga bringing Wall Street to Main Street.

00:02President Trump escalated the government shutdown by vowing to meet with Budget Director Russell

00:06Vaughn on Thursday to decide which Democrat agencies to cut, and that according to Reuters,

00:11he's already frozen federal transit and green energy funding and threatened mass firing.

00:15300,000 federal workers expected to be pushed out this year.

00:18He has been suspended for roughly 2 million employees, with 750,000 furloughed and others

00:23working without pay. Democrats accused Trump of treating workers like pawns as the standoff

00:28locked up $1.7 trillion in federal funding and suspended key government functions.

00:33Republicans argued that Trump could decide how to allocate funds during the shutdown,

00:37with Speaker Mike Johnson saying Democrats gave him that responsibility by failing to pass a bill.

00:4215th government shutdown since 1981 has halted research, data reports, and other activities,

00:47while major benefit programs like Social Security continue payments.

00:50For all things money, visit Benzinga.com.

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