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The Trump administration blamed Democrats for a US government shutdown in memos to federal employees and messages on agency websites, as funding lapsed at midnight on September 30, 2025.
The shutdown, the first since 2018, followed Congress's failure to pass a continuing resolution by the end of fiscal year 2025. Republicans supported a clean funding bill, while Democrats sought extensions for Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire in December, congressional officials said.
Memos from the Office of Management and Budget directed agencies including the Departments of Health and Human Services, Justice and Veterans Affairs to inform staff that President Donald Trump opposed a shutdown but that Democrats blocked the measure, according to agency spokespeople. A message on the Department of Housing and Urban Development website stated: "The Radical Left in Congress shut down the government."
Trump said in the Oval Office on September 30, "Democrats are to blame for the impending government shutdown and that they in particular would be 'very affected' by a funding lapse."
The memos also outlined plans for potential permanent layoffs of federal workers during the shutdown, unlike past furloughs with back pay, OMB officials said. The administration aimed to target positions "not consistent with the President's priorities."
Public Citizen filed a complaint with the Office of Special Counsel on September 30, alleging the communications violated the Hatch Act by using government resources for partisan messaging. Craig Holman of Public Citizen said, "The sheer crassness of this partisan advertisement by HUD using taxpayer dollars to campaign against Democrats and promote the Trump administration is going to make it exceedingly difficult for even a neutered ethics office to ignore."
A PBS News/NPR/Marist poll released on September 30 found 38% of voters would blame Republicans for a shutdown, 27% would blame Democrats and 31% would blame both parties.
The shutdown will furlough about 2 million federal workers and halt non-essential services, including national park operations and small business loans, according to OMB estimates. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said on October 1 that talks would resume immediately to end the shutdown.
Officials from the White House and Democratic leadership were not immediately available for further comment.
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