Trump sees 'unprecedented opportunity' to cut government during shutdown

Shutdown is a parallel situation to 2013 Obamacare standoff, Brit Hume says

Fox News chief political analyst Brit Hume says a major part of the Democratic Party's base resolves to ‘resist Donald Trump in any way possible’ on ‘Special Report.’

President Donald Trump on Thursday said he’s working to determine which "Democrat Agencies" will face cuts after Democrats and Republicans failed to reach an agreement on a government funding package.

Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that he was meeting with Russell Vought, director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, later Thursday to discuss which agencies "are a political SCAM." The president said he wanted Vought to recommend which agencies should face cuts and whether those cuts should be temporary or permanent.

"I can’t believe the Radical Left Democrats gave me this unprecedented opportunity," read Trump’s post. "They are not stupid people, so maybe this is their way of wanting to, quietly and quickly, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

The federal government entered a partial shutdown Wednesday after the midnight funding deadline passed, with Democrats and Republicans failing to agree on a funding bill.

DEMOCRATS AT A BIG DISADVANTAGE IN SHUTDOWN AS TRUMP STARTS SLASHING THEIR PROGRAMS

President Donald Trump points to a reporter in the Oval Office of the White House on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Trump has warned the administration could make "irreversible" changes to the federal workforce, most notably through a new wave of fresh layoffs. He has underscored that he and his allies did not want the government to shut down, but that it opened the door for some "good" that could come from it. 

Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday accused Democrats of forcing the shutdown over providing illegal immigrants with taxpayer-funded emergency health care and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y, fearing a primary challenge from progressive "Squad" member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.

VANCE BRINGS RECEIPTS TO TARGET DEMS ON HEALTHCARE BENEFITS FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS

"But the reality here, and let’s be honest about the politics, is that Chuck Schumer is terrified he’s going to get a primary challenge from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez," Vance said. "The reason why the American people’s government is shut down is because Chuck Schumer is listening to the far-left radicals in his own party because he’s terrified of a primary challenge."

Vice President JD Vance, left, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, right, while speaking with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also alleged Democrats engineered the shutdown to force taxpayers to fund health care for undocumented immigrants given a $37 trillion debt.

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"To put this all into perspective, the Democrats refused to keep the government open over health care to illegal aliens and now have jeopardized critical health care programs for American citizens," she said. "Instead, the women, infants and children program, community health center funding, Medicare treatment options and other health programs are now all at risk because of the Democrats rejecting the clean C.R. [continuing resolution]. 

Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton contributed to this report.