President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that his administration will begin cutting a series of federal programs and government jobs as the current government shutdown drags on,
signaling one of the most significant restructuring efforts of his presidency.
Speaking from the Oval Office alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Trump said the ongoing budget stalemate has prompted his administration to take “tough but necessary steps” to reduce what he described as “wasteful spending and bloated bureaucracy.”
“We’re looking closely at every department, every agency,” Trump said. “Some programs just don’t make sense anymore. We’re going to streamline the government and make it work for the American people — not against them.”
The president did not specify which programs or departments would face cuts but said that details on job reductions and affected agencies would be released “within the next four or five days.”
The government shutdown — now stretching into its third week — began after Congress failed to reach an agreement over funding levels and border security spending. The standoff has left hundreds of thousands of federal employees furloughed or working without pay, while many public services have been suspended or delayed.
Economic analysts warn that deeper cuts could worsen the shutdown’s impact on the economy. Federal workers’ unions have already voiced concern, saying that widespread job losses would devastate families and communities dependent on public sector employment.
A senior White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the administration is reviewing “non-essential” programs across departments such as Education, Housing and Urban Development, and Energy. The official noted that the cuts are part of a broader effort to “modernize” government operations and reduce the national debt.
Democrats quickly criticized the president’s remarks, accusing him of using the shutdown as political leverage to advance his long-standing goal of shrinking the federal workforce.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said in a statement, “Instead of reopening the government and getting Americans back to work, President Trump is threatening to fire them. This is not leadership — it’s reckless and cruel.”
Despite growing bipartisan pressure to end the shutdown, Trump has insisted that his proposed cuts are essential to restoring fiscal discipline.
“We have to stop spending money we don’t have,” he said. “This is about protecting America’s future.”
While details remain unclear, administration insiders say the president could unveil a broader restructuring plan later this month — one that may include merging certain agencies and privatizing select federal services.
For now, federal workers and their families are bracing for more uncertainty as the political standoff in Washington continues. Photo by Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, Wikimedia commons.