President Donald Trump has issued a stark ultimatum to congressional Democrats: reopen the federal government or face widespread layoffs and program cuts across multiple agencies.

Speaking from the Oval Office on Tuesday alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Trump signaled that his patience with the ongoing budget standoff was wearing thin, setting a rough deadline of four to five days before his administration begins what he described as “substantial reductions” in the federal workforce.

The warning comes amid a prolonged government shutdown, now entering its third week, after Senate Democrats — led by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer — blocked a temporary spending measure that would have reopened the government while broader negotiations continued.

Trump’s Ultimatum: “A Lot of Those Jobs Will Never Come Back”
When asked how many federal positions could be permanently eliminated if the impasse continues, Trump said his administration was still finalizing the numbers but made clear that the cuts could be sweeping.