Shutdown deepens as layoff threats mount | JQJO

With no end to the federal shutdown, an estimated 750,000 workers are furloughed and hundreds of thousands more are working without pay. In the Oval Office, President Donald Trump questioned whether furloughed staff would receive back pay despite a legal guarantee, while his administration threatened mass firings. OMB director Russell Vought said layoffs had begun, though agencies offered few details. Workers described mounting anxiety as unions and a watchdog demanded assurances on back pay and a judge ordered disclosure of layoff plans. TSA employees continue working unpaid. The White House and OMB did not respond to requests for comment.