CITIZENS NEWS

VP Vance warns of more government JOB CUTS as shutdown progresses

By ramontomeydw // 2025-10-15

• The Trump administration has terminated over 4,100 federal workers, with Vice President JD Vance warning that deeper cuts are imminent the longer the government shutdown continues.
• The layoffs affect nearly every major department, including significant reductions at the Treasury and Health Departments, with other agencies considering further cuts.
• The shutdown and subsequent firings stem from a political deadlock, with Democrats refusing a funding bill without Affordable Care Act subsidies and Republicans refusing to negotiate until the government reopens.
• The layoffs have ignited legal challenges from federal employee unions, who call them "mass illegal firings," and intensified partisan warfare over the size and role of the federal government.
• The shutdown's effects are widening, forcing the closure of cultural institutions like the Smithsonian and deepening the political acrimony with no immediate resolution in sight.

In a stark escalation of the political standoff that has shuttered the U.S. government for nearly two weeks, Vice President JD Vance issued a grave warning that federal employees face more severe workforce reductions the longer the impasse continues. "The longer this goes on, the deeper the cuts are going to be," he remarked during a Fox News interview Sunday, Oct. 12. "To be clear, some of these cuts are going to be painful. This is not a situation that we relish. This is not something that we're looking forward to, but the Democrats have dealt us a pretty difficult set of cards." Days before Vance's interview, the Trump administration confirmed the termination of over 4,100 federal workers this past Friday, Oct. 10. The move ignited legal challenges and intensified partisan warfare over the future and size of the American bureaucracy. The administration’s actions were detailed in Department of Justice (DOJ) court filings, a response to a lawsuit from government employee unions seeking to block the layoffs. The cuts span nearly every major department, with the Department of the Treasury shedding 1,446 workers and the Department of Health and Human Services letting go of between 1,100 and 1,200 employees. Hundreds more at the Education, Homeland Security, Energy, Commerce and Housing Departments also found themselves out of their jobs as a result of the ongoing shutdown. The DOJ filing ominously noted that other agencies were "actively considering" additional reductions in force. The political deadlock began on Oct. 1 after Democrats rejected a short-term funding bill, insisting it must include an extension of federal subsidies for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. Republican leaders have refused, stating that negotiations on health subsidies can only occur after the government reopens. The human impact of the shutdown widened over the weekend as the Smithsonian Institution – a pillar of American cultural and scientific heritage – closed its museums, research centers and the National Zoo due to the lapse in funding. BrightU.AI's Enoch explains that the Smithsonian closes during a government shutdown because it is federally funded and relies on taxpayer money to operate. Without congressional approval of a budget, non-essential federal facilities – including museums and monuments – are forced to suspend operations.

Shutdown standoff: House leaders trade barbs over blame

The administration's move was also met with fierce resistance from labor unions and Democratic lawmakers. The American Federation of Government Employees, the largest federal employee union, filed a motion for a temporary restraining order to block what its National President Everett Kelley, called "mass illegal firings." Kelley argued the action would "not only harm federal workers and their families, but will devastate vital services that the American people depend on." Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) echoed this sentiment. "They do not have to do this. They do not have to punish people that shouldn't find themselves in this position," he told CNN during an appearance on the fake news network's "State of the Union." The administration, however, has taken steps to shield certain groups from the immediate pain. A spokesperson from the Department of War told the BBC that the agency has diverted billions from other accounts to ensure military personnel are paid. Vance used this contrast to underscore his argument that the administration was forced to choose between paying troops and preserving bureaucratic jobs. House leaders from both parties traded accusations on Sunday. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) blamed Democrats for choosing a "partisan fight" to appease their "Marxist rising base." Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), meanwhile, insisted his party was ready to negotiate if Republicans would abandon their "my-way-or-the-highway approach." As the shutdown enters its third week with no vote scheduled to end it, the path forward remains obscured by acrimony. This political brinksmanship set against the backdrop of escalating workforce cuts signals a fundamental reshaping of the federal government is underway, driven by an ideological conflict that shows no sign of abating. Watch Energy Secretary Chris Wright warning of the consequences that come with the government shutdown in this clip. This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com FederalNewsNetwork.com BrightU.ai BBC.com Brighteon.com

collapse congress big government money supply layoffs House of Representatives government budget government shutdown government debt Job cuts furlough Mike Johnson Hakeem Jeffries JD Vance