By Diana George

Copyright timesnownews

US President Donald Trump escalated the government shutdown on Wednesday by freezing $26 billion in federal funds earmarked for Democratic-leaning states, following through on his warning to use the shutdown to target political opponents. The freeze includes $18 billion for transit projects in New York, home to Congress’s top two Democrats, and $8 billion for green-energy programs in 16 Democratic-run states, including California and Illinois. Vice President JD Vance warned the White House might extend federal worker furloughs if the shutdown continues for more than a few days. The move underscores Trump’s intent to leverage the shutdown to punish Democrats while asserting control over the $7 trillion federal budget, a domain constitutionally assigned to Congress. The ongoing shutdown – the 15th since 1981 – has halted scientific research, financial oversight, environmental cleanup, and a range of other government activities. Around 750,000 federal employees were told not to work, while troops and Border Patrol agents continued without pay. The Department of Veterans Affairs said it would provide burials but would not maintain headstones or mow cemeteries. Vance noted, “The administration would be forced to resort to layoffs if the shutdown lasts more than a few days,” adding that 300,000 employees could be affected by December. The US Patent and Trademark Office announced it would lay off 1% of its 14,000 staff. Schumer Labels Shutdown ‘Blackmail’ House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized the freeze, saying it would throw thousands out of work in New York. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer added, “He is using the American people as pawns, threatening pain on the country as blackmail.” Senator Thom Tillis expressed concern that freezing New York infrastructure funds could complicate efforts to end the shutdown: “They need to be really careful with that, because they can create a toxic environment here.” Republican Senate Leader John Thune dismissed the concerns: “Well, vote to open up the government and that issue goes away, right? I mean, it’s pretty straightforward.” Jeffries said he had not heard from the White House since meeting Trump earlier this week. “Clearly, they wanted to shut the government down,” he told CNN. Same Day, Same Deadlock The Senate again rejected attempts to pass funding, with a Republican proposal to fund the government through November 21 and a Democratic plan linking spending to health benefits both failing. Trump’s Republicans hold a 53-47 Senate majority but require at least seven Democrats to reach the 60-vote threshold for spending bills. Agency operations, totaling $1.7 trillion, represent roughly one-quarter of annual spending, while the remainder covers health, retirement, and interest payments on the $37.5 trillion debt. Bipartisan negotiations continue on the Senate floor. Senator Tim Kaine said, “I want to see that a deal is a deal, and I would like to see the Republicans make a commitment to work with us on health care. But I’ve never said that has to be all I’s dotted and T’s crossed because that could be complicated.” Democrats are also seeking assurances that Trump cannot ignore spending bills he signs into law, as has happened repeatedly since his return to office. Both parties have blamed each other for the shutdown while positioning ahead of the 2026 midterms. Democrats argue the GOP is responsible since they control Washington’s levers of power, while Republicans claim Democrats are caving to partisan pressures. Republicans also claimed the Democratic proposal would extend coverage to some illegal immigrants, though the Congressional Budget Office clarified it would only apply to legally present categories, such as asylum seekers and work visa holders. Several government agencies posted statements blaming the “radical left” for the shutdown, which could violate the Hatch Act designed to keep essential services nonpartisan. The longest US government shutdown lasted 35 days in 2018-2019 during Trump’s first term, ending partly due to flight delays caused by air traffic controllers calling in sick. (With inputs from Reuters) Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from US News and around the World.