Overview

• Budget negotiations remain at an impasse, with Democrats seeking a short-term deal that includes extending Obamacare subsidies and protections for Medicaid that Republicans reject.
• President Trump said he would meet OMB Director Russell Vought to decide which agencies to cut and whether reductions would be temporary or permanent, as officials signal that thousands of layoffs are possible.
• Vought urged agencies to evaluate reduction-in-force notices for programs not aligned with presidential priorities, signaling preparations for permanent workforce cuts during the shutdown.
• The Congressional Budget Office estimates roughly 750,000 federal employees are furloughed, and NASA’s plan keeps about 3,000 staff on duty while more than 15,000 are on leave to maintain critical missions.
• Vought has said the government has suspended or decided to cancel about $26 billion in previously approved funds, including roughly $8 billion for climate-related programs and an estimated $18 billion for New York–New Jersey transit projects, while the White House amplifies partisan messages through agency pop‑ups, altered auto‑replies, and AI-generated videos reshared on official accounts.