Mass Firing Threat Proves Shutdown Is 'Project 2025 in Action,' Says Jayapal [View all]

Source: Raw Story

October 5, 2025 9:34PM ET


U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal said Sunday that the government shutdown that began last week and could be used as President Donald Trump’s latest reason for mass firings of federal workers is “Project 2025 in action” and condemned the Republican Party’s push to “inflict the most pain on Americans” that they can.

Jayapal (D-WA) spoke to MSNBC as the shutdown entered its fifth day, emphasizing that while the White House is threatening to fire federal workers en masse due to legislators’ failure to reach a deal on a spending package to keep the government open, the Trump administration has already overseen the dismissal of more than 100,000 public servants.

“They have actually already fired at least 150,000 federal workers,” said Jayapal. “They’ve already slashed agencies across the board and [Office of Management and Budget director] Russ Vought does want to use the shutdown to inflict more pain on the American people, instead of addressing the healthcare crisis that we have—both from the Big Bad Betrayal Bill and from the upcoming crisis we have around the Affordable Care Act subsidies.”

Jayapal’s comments came as Kevin Hassett, the National Economic Council director, told CNN that whether or not Trump takes advantage of what he has called an “unprecedented opportunity” to make more cuts to agencies is contingent on whether Democrats agree to the GOP spending proposal—which would keep the government funded for the time being but would allow for the expiration of Affordable Care Act subsidies and the Medicaid cuts that were part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The expiration of the subsidies could raise health insurance premiums by an average of 75% for millions of Americans, according to a KFF analysis.

Read more: https://www.rawstory.com/pramila-jayapal-2674156777/