2:13Director of the National Economic Council Kevin Hassett, centrally located, is seen walking outside the White House on Sept. 24, 2025, in Washington.Mark Schiefelbein/AP
Amid the White House’s warning of extensive dismissals of federal staff during the five-day-old governmental impasse, White House economic advisor Kevin Hassett stated Sunday that the warning will come to fruition should President Donald Trump determine that governmental deadlock negotiations are at a standstill.
"Should the president come to the conclusion that discussions are heading nowhere, that, you know, there will commence job reductions,” Hassett commented when queried on CNN’s "State of the Union” regarding when cutbacks might transpire.
"Nevertheless, I believe that everyone is still optimistic that upon a new beginning as the week commences, we can persuade the Democrats to perceive that averting such dismissals is merely rational," he appended.
When probed about what constitutes a "Democratic agency" that Trump has cautioned about reducing, Hassett conveyed it was a bargaining strategy to demonstrate to Democrats, who are hesitant to sanction government funding, the consequence an interruption would impose in their locality. He further noted that a Democratic agency would function as "a concise descriptor for those organizations that are generally favored by the Democrats."
Director of the National Economic Council Kevin Hassett, center, walks outside the White House on Sept. 24, 2025, in Washington.Mark Schiefelbein/AP
"Senate Democrats are progressing uniformly toward utter collapse, akin to driving us off a hill, over a cliff. Hence, I deduce that it’s understandable to amplify pressure on states where senators are being unyielding, thus ensuring the senators themselves comprehend the burdens they are inflicting upon the American populace. That, in my view, is entirely sound reasoning,” he expressed.
In the meantime, neither of the leading figures in the Senate voiced substantial assurance that an electoral procedure to finance the government would be approved in the near future.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune remarked on Fox News’ "Sunday Morning Futures” that "there isn’t much to debate,” asserting the interruption will persist "as long as the Democrats desire it to continue. Presently, we are in a stalemate.”
"It’s merely as protracted as the Democrats wish it to be. They, in fact, hold the upper hand at present,” Thune stated when inquired about his anticipation of the shutdown’s duration.
Minority Leader Chuck Schumer maintained that the impasse stems from Republicans’ unwillingness to negotiate.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer attends a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on the third day of a partial government shutdown, on Capitol Hill in Washington, October 3, 2025.Nathan Howard/Reuters
"In each circumstance, we initiated dialogue and negotiations with the Republicans, resulting in compromises. Although neither contingent attained complete satisfaction, progress was realized,” Schumer recounted on CBS’ "Face the Nation” based on his tenure as Senate majority leader.
"They’ve declined any communication with us, even once… We’ve endeavored to engage with them for several months, yet their consistent response has been, ‘No.’"
The leading figures in the House featured on NBC's "Meet the Press” on Sunday, persistently critiquing each other’s management of the negotiations, emphasizing conduct over the core disagreements in policy.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries described the Republicans’ actions amidst the shutdown as "unhinged.”
"Indeed, such behavior is appalling, irrational, and it communicates its nature plainly. The American populace merits improved conditions than falsehoods, hostilities, fabricated videos, and the president’s devotion of his time to recreational golfing. We are in need of earnest leadership.”
Jeffries reiterated his pushback against the misleading assertions from Republicans that Democrats are striving to extend Medicaid benefits to migrants lacking legal status.
"Regrettably, Republicans are resorting to deception, given their decline in public perception concerning the present circumstances. We are advocating for the health provision of diligent American taxpayers, working-class Americans, middle-class Americans, and everyday citizens," Jeffries conveyed. "Current federal legislation unequivocally forbids the allocation of taxpayer funds to facilitate health care for undocumented immigrants, without exceptions, and there is no Democrat on Capitol Hill aiming to modify this legal restriction."
Senate Majority Leader John Thune speaks next to House Speaker Mike Johnson during a press conference on the third day of a partial shutdown of the federal government at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, October 3, 2025.Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson emerged directly after Jeffries on "Meet the Press” and asserted that Democrats were endeavoring to concentrate on healthcare because it served as a diversion from the true matter.
"Essentially, everything my counterpart just articulated was needless, considering his attempt to discuss a December funding issue, specifically, the healthcare provision, inclusive of certain Obamacare subsidies that are slated to expire on December 31,” Johnson expressed. "He is overlooking the vital aspect that sustaining governmental operations is crucial to engaging in the bipartisan debates and dialogues he cited.”
Schumer reasoned he did not think Republicans were approaching the standstill earnestly, calling attention to Trump’s online humor throughout the week and Johnson’s choice to dismiss the House until the following week.
"Actually, Johnson is indispensable,” Schumer declared. "To negotiate any accord, one requires Johnson, Thune, Trump, Schumer, and Jeffries. The rationale behind his dismissal of them is that he’s keener on preserving the Epstein files than shielding the American citizenry from the healthcare crisis,” Schumer claimed.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries holds a news conference at the U.S. Capitol Building on October 3, 2025 in Washington.Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
When questioned about his resolution to refrain from recalling the House to session, and whether this was associated with a pending vote pertaining to the release of the Jeffrey Epstein documentation, Johnson persisted in attributing blame to Democrats.
"The genesis of the governmental cessation is Chuck Schumer and 43 of his Democrat associates in the Senate’s decision to vote repetitively to perpetuate the cessation. We require their action to restore governmental functions so that everyone can execute their responsibilities. The House concluded its tasks, sanctioning a bipartisan, unencumbered continuing resolution to preserve governmental operations,” Johnson asserted.
Hassett persisted in shifting responsibility to Democrats contingent on their desire to avert threatened redundancies.
"We are urging Democrats to advance and broker an accord that constitutes a clean, continuing resolution that grants us an additional seven weeks to address these issues. Fundamentally, with Republicans wielding control, they exert considerably greater influence over the ultimate resolution than Democrats. It is requisite for Democrats to exhibit a degree of leadership,” Hassett cautioned.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
