White House warns more layoffs likely as shutdown drags on

The White House is warning that more federal workers could lose their jobs as the government shutdown continues into another week.

(NBC)- The White House is warning that more federal workers could lose their jobs as the government shutdown continues into another week with no resolution in sight.

“The longer this goes on, the deeper the cuts are going to be,” said senior adviser J.D. Vance, as multiple federal departments confirm employees have already received layoff notices.

President Trump, speaking to reporters en route to Israel, defended the move, saying the administration is ending programs it “never wanted,” many of them “Democrat-sponsored.” Democrats quickly pushed back, calling the rhetoric divisive.

“There aren’t Democrat workers or agencies and Republican agencies,” said Senator Mark Kelly. “That’s ridiculous.”

Late Friday, the administration notified hundreds of scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that they were being laid off — only to reverse some of those decisions hours later. An official familiar with the situation told NBC News the incident was due to a “glitch in the system.”

The president has also ordered the Defense Department to use “all available funds” to ensure active-duty troops are paid during the shutdown. But many furloughed civilian workers, like veteran Charles Davis, say they’re struggling.

“I’m the primary source of income for my household,” Davis said. “To cut out 60 percent of our income is significant.”

Meanwhile, Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo, which had managed to stay open using reserve funds, closed their doors Sunday — disappointing visitors who had planned trips months in advance.

“We were disappointed,” said Meera Meerkov, visiting from Ann Arbor, Michigan. “We were really looking forward to Washington, D.C.”