Johnson calls potential layoffs “a regrettable situation that the president does not want”

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-la.) said the Trump administration’s plan to lay off thousands of federal workers is “regretful”, but the mistake is to disagree with Republicans’ recommendations to reopen the government.

Host Kristen Welker imposed unprecedented plans to force Johnson to lay off thousands of federal workers in an interview with NBC News’ Meet the Media, noting that “this is “never done in the shutdown.”

“We haven’t seen any details about what’s going on,” Johnson told Welker.

“But the situation that the president does not want is a regrettable situation,” the spokesman continued.

Johnson’s suggestion is Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (DN.Y.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (DN.Y.), who will not support Republican funding proposals, resulting in layoffs.

Welk once again pressured Johnson whether he personally wanted to see federal workers fired.

“No,” Johnson replied. “I want Chuck Schumer to do the right thing, to what he did in his more than 30 years of his career in Congress and to vote to keep the government open. We have to end the shutdown.”

Welk noted that during the federal shutdown, furloughs were typical, but layoffs were unprecedented.

“In such a situation, the Senate Democrats decided to transfer the keys to the Kingdom to the White House and they had to make a tough decision. Russ Vought ran the Office of Management and Budget. He now had to look at all the federal governments and recognize that the funding flow has been closed and determined what is essential to the plans, policies, policies and people.”

“It’s not a job he likes,” he continued. “But Chuck Schumer asked him to do that.”

Trump held a discussion Thursday with Russell, director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), to discuss what Trump calls “unprecedented opportunities” to consider recommendations for cuts and shooting of federal agencies during the closure.

“It’s likely to involve thousands of issues, and it’s a very good issue, and it’s the Office of Management and Budget and the entire White House team, and unfortunately, it’s a must-do today,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters before Thursday’s meeting.

“These discussions and these conversations, these meetings, if the Democrats vote to open the government, it wouldn’t happen.”

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