Particle.news
Download on the App Store

White House Escalates Tactics in U.S. Shutdown, Freezing $26 Billion for Democratic-Led Projects

Senate rules requiring 60 votes give Democrats leverage to demand restored health spending.

Overview

  • Federal agencies are implementing orderly shutdown plans as an estimated 750,000 employees are furloughed each day, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
  • The administration froze roughly $26 billion, including about $18 billion for New York transit projects and $8 billion for green-energy initiatives in 16 Democratic-led states, with budget director Russell Vought announcing the moves.
  • President Donald Trump and senior officials signaled they could pursue layoffs and even eliminate agencies, with Vice President J. D. Vance warning job cuts could follow if the closure lasts more than a few days.
  • Non‑essential services are curtailed, with closures of national parks and museums, delayed benefit processing, and potential air-travel strains noted by the air traffic controllers’ union as thousands of members are sidelined.
  • Talks remain stalled as Republicans push a short funding extension into late November and Democrats seek to restore expanded health-care spending, with the 60‑vote Senate threshold and the Yom Kippur calendar slowing votes; private analysts estimate a 0.2 percentage‑point hit to annual GDP growth for each week of shutdown.