President Donald Trump speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on October 9, 2025 in Washington, DC (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Thursday he is ready to cut congressionally approved funding that he said goes to programs supported by Democrats, although he gave no further details during a Cabinet meeting.
“We are going to eliminate some very popular Democratic programs that are not popular with Republicans,” he said. “They wanted to do this, so we’re giving them a little taste of their own medicine.”
Meanwhile, on the ninth day of the government shutdown, U.S. Senate members failed for the seventh time to advance a Democratic or Republican stopgap bill, and House Speaker Mike Johnson said partisan tensions in his chamber were so high that he was hesitant to bring members back until a solution was found.
“This is getting personal. Emotions are running high. People are upset. I’m upset,” Johnson told reporters at a morning news conference.
There was also the threat of layoffs and refusal of repayment
Trump has signaled throughout the shutdown that he wants to unilaterally eliminate funding approved by Congress, lay off federal workers by the thousands and potentially seek to reinterpret a 2019 law that requires back pay for furloughed federal workers after the funding period ends.
He has not yet revealed specific details about these plans or said exactly when he will attempt to take these steps, which would likely lead to further lawsuits.
Trump said during the hour-long public portion of the Cabinet meeting that Russ Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, could provide more details, but Vought never spoke and Trump did not call him.
“The shutdown has been, you know, pretty damaging. I mean, not yet because it’s still early. But as time goes on it’s going to get a little bit worse,” Trump said. “And we’re going to make cuts that will be permanent, and we’re only going to cut Democratic programs. I hate to break it to you. I think that makes sense, but we’re only going to cut Democratic programs. But we’re going to start doing that, and we have Russell who can talk to you about it if he wants to.”
The president is generally expected to faithfully carry out laws approved by Congress, including government funding laws.
The White House budget office has frozen or cut funding several times this year without seeking approval from lawmakers, which is required under a law dating back to the 1970s.
This has led to a number of lawsuits and the Government Accountability Office has repeatedly cited the government for illegally seizing funds.
No progress in voting
On Capitol Hill, lawmakers remained divided over how to advance a stopgap bill to fund the government for several weeks.
The Senate voted 54 to 45 in favor the bill passed by the House of Representatives that would fund federal programs through November 21st and 47-50 to the Democrats’ counterproposal, which would provide spending authority until October 31 and make significant changes to health care policy.
The outcome of the seventh vote to promote these two proposals did not differ significantly from the previous ones. Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto and Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman, both Democrats, as well as Maine Independent Senator Angus King, voted with Republicans to advance their bill. Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul voted no.
The legislation needs the support of at least 60 senators to advance under that chamber’s legislative filibuster rule.
The vote came shortly after Speaker Johnson, R-La., made disparaging remarks about Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer during his news conference, with the two increasingly blaming each other for the funding crisis.
“There is one thing that Chuck Schumer cares about more than anything else, and that is his Senate seat,” Johnson said. “The guy has been in Congress for 44 years. He doesn’t know how to have a life outside of this building, and that’s why he’s going to do whatever it takes to make sure he keeps this seat.”
When asked about rising tensions between Republicans and Democrats over the funding shortfall and health care policy, Johnson said it would probably be better to keep lawmakers in that chamber divided until a solution is found.
“I’m a very patient man, but I’m very angry right now because this is dangerous,” Johnson said. “And is it probably better for them to be physically separated now? Yes, to be straightforward, it probably is.
“I wish that wasn’t the case. But we need to turn the volume down. The best way to turn the volume down is to turn the lights back on and open the government to the people.”
Disconnection pay for military personnel
Johnson reiterated that he does not intend to bring the House back from an extended recess to vote on a standalone bill that would provide military members with on-time paychecks during the shutdown.
But Johnson stuck to his position that the best way to ensure U.S. troops are paid is for Democrats to pass the GOP’s stopgap spending bill Trump breaks with Johnson on this particular topic.
When asked Wednesday about the upcoming Oct. 15 military payday, Trump said “that’s probably going to happen” and that “the military will always be taken care of.”
But, Johnson said during his news conference Thursday, the only way out is the Republican stopgap bill, which is still stalled in the Senate.
“We already voted to pay the troops. We did it three weeks ago. We introduced this bill and the Republicans voted to pay the troops, TSA agents, border patrol, air traffic control and everyone else,” Johnson said. “So to come back here and do it and have a double vote to do the same thing they’ve already done wouldn’t accomplish anything.”
Schumer, D-N.Y., said during a speech that the shutdown would not end until Republicans and Democrats find a way to extend tax credits for people who buy health insurance on the Affordable Care Act Marketplace beyond the end of the year.
Schumer also chided Johnson for the House’s schedule, which has seen lawmakers in Washington DC for just 12 days since the end of July.
“If you’re someone who works two jobs or weekends or overtime to make ends meet, what the hell are you supposed to think when Republicans in the House can’t even be bothered to show up to reopen the government?” Schumer said.
New England senators begin talks
Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Susan Collins, R-Maine, said she has spoken with New Hampshire Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen about possible solutions to the impasse.
“I am in very close contact with Senator Shaheen, who is very constructive and trying to find a way forward,” Collins said.
“The ACA issue is important to many of us, not just Democrats,” she added. “Tax subsidies were increased during the coronavirus crisis. While they need to be reformed, they also need to be extended. They expire at the end of the year. We need to open the government today before more damage is done, before military members lose their paychecks.”
Ariana Figueroa and Shauneen Miranda contributed to this report.
