The Schumer Shutdown threatens federal layoffs as Democrats refuse to compromise on funding.
The Democrats have backed themselves into a corner again, and this time, it’s not just political theater—it’s a standoff with serious consequences. The Schumer Shutdown is dragging into its second week, and President Donald Trump is done waiting for Democrats to come around. The message from the White House is crystal clear: if the talks with Democrats “are absolutely going nowhere,” as National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett put it, mass layoffs of federal workers are coming.
The shutdown began when Senate Democrats refused to support a short-term funding bill that would have kept government agencies running through November 21. Their justification? They’re insisting on reopening the loophole closed by the One Big Beautiful Bill, which had prevented taxpayer dollars from funding health care for illegal immigrants. On top of that, they’re pushing to spend billions on other radical left-wing priorities.
Hassett is still holding out hope that Democrats will blink first, saying that perhaps “a fresh start at the beginning of the week” might lead to compromise.
