Trump admin to begin federal layoffs if shutdown talks aren't going anywhere

The Trump administration is signaling that large-scale layoffs of federal workers could be imminent if ongoing talks with congressional Democrats fail to yield a resolution to the partial government shutdown, now in its fifth day.

White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said Sunday that President Donald Trump may order widespread layoffs if it becomes clear that negotiations are not going anywhere. 

“There’s still a window for Democrats to come to the table,” Hassett said on CNN’s State of the Union. “But if it becomes obvious that things are absolutely going nowhere, then, unfortunately, we have to consider all options.”

The shutdown began on Wednesday.

President Trump told reporters at the White House on Sunday that anyone who gets laid off is because of the Democrats.

"I call them Democrat layoffs," he said. "We have a record-setting economy. We have a record-setting country. Prices are way down. We're doing better than the country has ever done and the Democrats hate seeing that. It's up to them. Anybody laid off, that's because of the Democrats."