President Trump’s decision to freeze $2.1 billion in federal infrastructure funds for Chicago has sparked intensified tensions in Washington. Citing the ongoing government shutdown, the administration is holding the funds back as leverage in budget negotiations.

As a government shutdown looms, the White House is directing agencies to prepare for mass firings of federal employees. This urgent move shows the administration’s serious approach to a potential budget impasse next week.

Amid warnings from multiple media outlets, Senate Democrats Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries are demanding urgent talks with President Trump as a government shutdown looms. Both parties’ spending measures have already failed on the Senate floor, leaving lawmakers at a standstill.

President-elect Donald Trump has declared that any impending government shutdown is President Joe Biden’s responsibility to resolve. Insisting on significant changes to the debt limit, Trump’s demands set the stage for a potential fiscal showdown as funding deadlines approach.