The federal government entered a shutdown this week after lawmakers failed to pass a funding extension before the Oct. 1 deadline. This sparked heated exchanges between Democrats and Republicans, notably sharp criticism from Hillary Clinton and former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Harris, posting on X, placed responsibility squarely on the GOP: “President Trump and Congressional Republicans just shut down the government because they refused to stop your health care costs from rising. Let me be clear: Republicans are in charge of the White House, House, and Senate. This is their shutdown.”
President Trump and Congressional Republicans just shut down the government because they refused to stop your health care costs from rising.
Let me be clear: Republicans are in charge of the White House, House, and Senate. This is their shutdown.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) October 1, 2025
Clinton also took aim at the president, saying he was exploiting the standoff for political leverage.
“Trump wants to hold the government hostage until Democrats agree to raise health care costs for millions of Americans and give him more unchecked power. But health care is a human right. And in America, we have no kings,” Clinton wrote.
Trump wants to hold the government hostage until Democrats agree to raise health care costs for millions of Americans and give him more unchecked power.
But health care is a human right.
And in America, we have no kings.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 1, 2025
The shutdown began on Wednesday after competing funding bills in the Senate collapsed without bipartisan support. The White House quickly announced plans to pause or revoke billions in spending. Officials also warned that widespread layoffs could begin within days, a move widely interpreted as an attempt to escalate pressure on Democrats.
OMB Director Russ Vought told House Republicans in a private call that if no deal is reached, reductions in force would begin within two days.
WHITE HOUSE WARNS ‘IMMINENT’ LAYOFFS DUE TO GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
Vice President JD Vance told reporters on Wednesday: “We’re going to have to lay some people off if the shutdown continues. We don’t like that, we don’t necessarily want to do it, but we’re going to do what we have to do to keep the American people’s essential services continuing to run.”
The Senate is scheduled to hold additional votes on rival proposals on Friday afternoon.
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