2:45President Donald Trump offers statements during the swearing-in event of U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor in the Oval Office, Nov. 10, 2025.Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Though President Donald Trump states Democrats are "not receiving much" in the government funding agreement the House is slated to vote on Wednesday, it does feature a clause that would undo the dismissals of thousands federal employees that he enacted during the stoppage.
All the same, Trump has voiced he will "abide" by the arrangement the Senate approved Monday evening.
“Well, the nation forfeits a substantial amount of funds when they undertake this, and they're not obtaining much, but nobody secures a great deal, but it's appalling,” Trump expressed during an interview with Fox News on Monday.
President Donald Trump offers statements during the swearing-in event of U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor in the Oval Office, Nov. 10, 2025.Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
To exert influence on Democrats, who champion federal employees, the White House had warned the bulk terminations would be executed as part of a cessation. Subsequently, on Oct. 2, merely two days into the cessation, Trump posted on his social media platform that it presented an "unprecedented opportunity" to implement even more retrenchments to the government.
Trump even alluded to Office and Management and Budget Director Russ Vought as the "Grim Reaper," posting an AI-generated video depicting the top bureaucrat in a reaper's costume and brandishing a scythe.
“Russ Vought embodies the Reaper. He commands the pen, the finances, and the intellect. The Reaper is imminent,” the voice in the AI-generated video sings as Vought traverses the city amidst formations of employees.
On Oct. 10, Vought declared bulk terminations of federal employees, a majority of whom were furloughed at that juncture, were underway.
Exceeding 4,000 federal employees were separated from their positions at entities spanning the government, encompassing the Departments of Commerce, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Homeland Security and Treasury.
Nonetheless, incorporated in the measure that would reactivate the government, exists text that would nullify dismissals that have occurred since the cessation commenced and avert any additional layoffs until at least the conclusion of January.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) addresses reporters, November 10, 2025 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.Tom Brenner/Getty Images
"I believe the White House participated in all of the dialogues concerning that topic," Senate Majority Leader John Thune commented on Monday when queried by ABC News whether the president had consented to that provision.
Trump himself indicated he would comply when questioned about whether he’s approved the reversal of the bulk terminations he had endorsed.
"Mr. President, that agreement indeed undoes the bulk terminations your administration instituted during the cessation. Did you sanction that and will you abide by that should this pass?" ABC News White House Correspondent Karen Travers inquired of him in the Oval Office on Monday.
"Well, I will be. I’ll abide by the agreement. The agreement is exceedingly favorable," Trump responded.
The U.S. Capitol, November 11, 2025 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.Win Mcnamee/Getty Images
The Trump administration has employed bulk dismissals of federal layoffs as a crucial mechanism in its endeavors to reshape the federal personnel. From the period he assumed office in January until the close of February, in excess of 200,000 federal employees at scores of government entities were discharged.
Trump and his principal allies, including Vought, have leveraged the dismissals to extract resources from entities with missions they oppose, ejecting employees they assert are "not aligned" with the president’s political objectives.
The legislation that reopens the government also stipulates that Trump's administration would be obligated to remit back pay to all federal employees who endured a period without pay during the unprecedented funding lapse.
The White House had earlier threatened to withhold back pay from certain furloughed personnel, employing a unique interpretation of a law that Trump himself enacted during his initial term in office asserting the employees must secure back pay. When probed as to whether furloughed employees merit that back pay, Trump stated that it "depends," adding that his administration would "take care of our people."
"I would contend it depends on whom we're addressing. I can relay this to you. The Democrats have subjected a multitude of individuals to significant peril and jeopardy, but it genuinely hinges on whom you're referencing. But predominantly, we're going to provide for our personnel. There exist certain individuals who genuinely do not warrant being provided for, and we'll provide for them in an alternate manner," Trump affirmed when questioned by a reporter on Oct 7.
ABC News' Karen Travers and Allison Pecorin lent a hand to this report.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
