Leak report exposes Trump’s next move – proving once again he’s his own worst employee
The White House Budget Office is asking federal agencies to prepare their employees for mass layoffs in anticipation of an upcoming government shutdown. The threat, which is believed to have directly come from President Donald Trump, is in response to Congress’s inability to reach a consensus on the Budget.
If implemented, the downsizings will put the livelihoods of several individuals and their families at risk. Many have criticised the White House Budget Office’s decision and Trump, alleging that they are using pressure tactics to sway the result in their favour.
For the uninformed, over a period of time, the Democrats and the Republicans have stood on opposing sides regarding the proposed government funding. While the former has taken a stand for increased medical and healthcare funding, the latter has suggested implementing stricter medicare rules.
In a memo shared with Politico on September 24, 2025, the Office of Management and Budget informed the agencies beforehand of the crackdown. The OMB asked these organisations to identify “programs,” “projects”, and “activities” that would come under the wing of “discretionary funding.” For the same, capital will no longer be available from October 1 onwards.
In the memo, OMB Director Russ Vought highlights the grounds of the shutdown, mentioning that:
“Programs that did not benefit from an infusion of mandatory appropriations will bear the brunt of a shutdown.”
Not all programs will be affected by the shutdown. Some, like Social Security, Medicare, and veterans’ benefits, will continue without interruption. Others that will also stay unaffected include military operations, law enforcement, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, and air traffic control.
Among those that will remain operational, ICE is the most controversial. These officials have, for a long time, been detaining immigrants under the claim that they are “illegal” and deporting them. This has led to widespread anger among the immigrant community, as the US president continues to target them.
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