US President Donald Trump downplayed the risks of a looming government shutdown, instead framing it as an opportunity to slash what he described as “Democrat things” he doesn’t want in the federal system.

“A lot of good can come down from shutdowns,” Trump told reporters during an Oval Office appearance to sign an executive order. “We can get rid of a lot of things that we didn’t want, and they’d be Democrat things.”

The president acknowledged that “the last thing we want to do is shut it down,” but he argued that a standoff over federal funding could ultimately serve his political agenda. “They want open borders. They want men playing in women’s sports,” he said.

Pressed on why widespread layoffs might be necessary alongside a shutdown, even with the Department of Government Efficiency already cutting the federal workforce, Trump linked furloughs directly to partisan politics. “The Democrats want to shut it down, so when you shut it down, you have to do layoffs,” he said. “We’d be laying off a lot of people that are going to be very affected, and they’re Democrats. They’re gonna be Democrats.”

Trump also hinted that “a lot” of federal workers could lose their jobs if Congress fails to fund the government. The White House has already directed agencies to prepare contingency plans for widespread firings.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that a shutdown could temporarily furlough about 750,000 federal employees, costing roughly $400 million per day in lost compensation. Some agencies might furlough more workers the longer the shutdown persists, while others could recall employees if operations are deemed essential.

Despite those warnings, Trump doubled down on his stance. “We can get rid of a lot of things that we didn’t want and they’d be Democrat things,” he said. “They just don’t learn. So we have no choice. I have to do that for the country.”

– Ends

(With inputs from Associated Press)

Tune In