The Trump administration has directed federal agencies to prepare plans for mass firings in anticipation of a potential government shutdown, as reported by Politico. This directive comes amid internal White House discussions and reported friction between the FBI and the Department of Justice related to the handling of the Epstein crisis, according to sources cited by The Wall Street Journal. Details emerged on September 25th, between 1:06 AM and 1:36 AM UTC, indicating significant activity within the White House concerning contingency planning for a shutdown. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has issued a memo outlining the potential for widespread federal layoffs, referencing concerns previously voiced by Senator Schumer regarding the tactics of Russ Vought and former President Trump in managing shutdowns. Separately, an off-duty officer discharged a weapon during an attempted robbery at New York Penn Station, according to ABC7NY. In a related development, President Trump reportedly called for the arrest of UN workers due to an issue with his escalator the previous day, as noted on X. This follows previous reports from September 24th where President Trump presented challenge coins to the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon and the Department of Homeland Security increased security at ICE facilities nationwide following a shooting motivated by anti-ICE sentiment. Secretary Noem characterized the shooting as a wake-up call regarding the consequences of far-left rhetoric. The White House also engaged in discussions regarding a farmer aid package, and Director Matthew Kratsios rejected global AI governance efforts at the UN Security Council, stating such measures would stifle innovation.
