On Thursday, October 2, US President Donald Trump further blamed Democrats for the crisis by threatening that "there could be firings" if the government shutdown continues. Additionally, he alluded to "big plans" for 2026. Trump defended his hardline stance in an interview with the OAN television network, claiming that the fallout was caused by Democrats in Congress.
What are Trump’s ‘big plans’?
US President Trump referred to a recent memo from the Office of Management and Budget that suggested the possibility of long-term job cuts."We could cut projects that they wanted, favorite projects, and they'd be permanently cut," he remarked. He also added and positioned his authority, "I am allowed to cut things that should have never been approved in the first place, and I will probably do that”.
After lawmakers were unable to come to an agreement on funding, the federal government shut down early on Wednesday, blocking non-essential services and putting hundreds of thousands of federal employees on furlough. There have also been closures of important national landmarks, such as Pearl Harbor in Hawaii and the Liberty Bell in Pennsylvania.
Looking ahead to the 2026 midterm elections, Trump also hinted at major plans. When asked if he had plans to be out on the campaign trail stumping for GOP candidates.
Trump also alluded to significant plans ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. When asked if he intended to go out and stump for Republican candidates, he stated, "I have big plans, I want to survive." Trump responded. "So you look at what's going on, it's crazy. You know, the rhetoric that these crazy Democrats are using is very dangerous. They've made politics very dangerous," the US president said.
Tariff plans ahead of midterm election
He claimed that new tariffs could raise up to $1 trillion annually and that some proceeds might be returned as rebates, which he warned could go up to 38 trillion dollars. Using revenue from trade policy as political leverage might be part of his new plan.
Earlier on Truth Social, Trump called the funding lapse a "Democrat-forced closure" and asked Republicans to "use this opportunity to clear out dead wood, waste and fraud."
"Republicans must use this opportunity of the Democrat forced closure to clear out dead wood, waste, and fraud. Billions of Dollars can be saved. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" Trump posted.
White House officials, meanwhile, signaled mass layoffs could be imminent, with cuts targeting infrastructure projects in Democratic areas. This is the first US government shutdown since 2019.
