Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said President Trump’s threat of job cuts during the federal government shutdown will cause Democrats to “scream and weep,” adding that the way it shifted the dynamics around funding talks was “fantastic.”
“What [White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director] Russ Vought has done here has really changed the dynamic, because he said, If [Sen.] Chuck Schumer [D-N.Y.] and the Democrats force a shutdown, which they now have, that President Trump is going to use that as an opportunity not to tell people you’re furloughed for a few days, but instead to send pink slips and to get rid of left-wing bureaucrats who are imposing left-wing priorities that are contrary to President Trump’s priorities,” Cruz said during his Wednesday appearance on Fox Business’ “Kudlow.”
“I think that is fantastic, and what it’s going to do is it’s going to cause Democrats in Congress to scream and weep and gnash their teeth,” the GOP senator told host Larry Kudlow.
On Wednesday, Vought told GOP lawmakers that federal layoffs are a day or two away. White House press secretary said to reporters on Wednesday during the briefing that layoffs are “imminent.”
Vice President Vance appeared to diverge from Cruz’s claims about the administration going after its political foes during a press briefing at the White House on Wednesday.
“We’re not targeting federal agencies based on politics, we’re targeting the people’s government so that as much as possible of the essential services can continue to function,” Vance said. “Let’s be honest. If this thing drags on for another few days or, God forbid, another few weeks, we are going to have to lay people off.”
Government shutdowns typically lead to federal workers deemed nonessential to be furloughed and other essential employees to work without compensation until the federal government is funded. When lawmakers strike a new funding deal, these workers get paid back for the time they worked.
This time around, the Trump administration has expressed interest in permanently axing some employees — a move that will almost surely be challenged in the courts.
Cruz predicted the firings would spur Democratic infighting as the shutdown drags on.
“I cannot wait for the next Democrat lunch when they start screaming at each other, when they start seeing pink slips go out at the EPA, at the Department of Labor, at the IRS, and suddenly, the bureaucrats that they are entrusting to advance their job-killing agenda are themselves without a job,” Cruz told Kudlow.
“That’s what’s going to end this shutdown, as the Democrats are realizing that President Trump is making major advances for economic liberty as a result of the Democrats’ temper tantrum.”
