• Vice President JD Vance foresees deeper cuts to federal jobs as shutdown lingers.
• Over 4,000 federal employees are expected to be laid off amid the shutdown.
• The Smithsonian museums and National Zoo are temporarily closing due to funding issues.
• Republicans and Democrats are entrenched in partisan disputes, with little sign of resolution.
• Labor unions are filing lawsuits against the administration's aggressive budget cuts.

Vice President JD Vance stated that the federal workforce will experience deeper cuts the longer the ongoing government shutdown continues, bringing uncertainty to hundreds of thousands of furloughed employees who remain unpaid as the stalemate in Congress drags on. Vance described the anticipated cuts as “painful,” noting efforts by the Trump administration to ensure military personnel receive their pay, along with some services for low-income Americans being preserved, especially food assistance programs, according to latimes, scmp, and indiatimes.

The Office of Management and Budget has indicated that more than 4,000 federal employees will be laid off as a consequence of the shutdown, which entered its 12th day as of Sunday. The shutdown commenced on October 1 after Democrats rejected a short-term funding bill, demanding inclusion of an extension of federal health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. Without these extensions, millions of Americans will face increased health insurance costs by year-end, according to latimes, scmp, and indiatimes.

As the shutdown continues, several federal agencies, including the Smithsonian Institution, have announced closures of their museums, research centers, and the National Zoo due to lack of funding. Union leaders have filed lawsuits aimed at blocking the administration’s aggressive budget plans, claiming these actions exceed typical measures taken during a shutdown and heightening tensions between Republicans and the Democratic minority in Congress, according to latimes, scmp, and indiatimes.

Negotiations to reconcile the budget impasse have stalled significantly, with Democratic House leader Hakeem Jeffries stating that "Republicans control the House, the Senate, and the presidency" and criticizing their "my-way-or-the-highway" stance. House Speaker Mike Johnson has pushed back, placing blame on Democrats for perpetuating a partisan standoff that disregards the hardships caused by the shutdown, according to latimes, scmp, and indiatimes.

Ezra Levin, co-founder of the progressive group Indivisible, indicated emerging fractures within the GOP, highlighting that even some Republicans, such as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, have acknowledged the potential spike in health insurance premiums affecting average Americans. Levin remarked, "Their chickens are coming home to roost," reflecting the backlash against the GOP's handling of the shutdown, according to latimes, scmp, and indiatimes.

Despite the tensions and legal challenges, the administration continues to prepare for layoffs across various departments, including Education, Treasury, and Health and Human Services. Vance noted the necessity of prioritizing military pay and food assistance over "federal bureaucrats," further complicating the situation as Democrats label the layoffs as illegal and unnecessary, with Senator Mark Kelly stating that "they do not have to punish people that shouldn’t find themselves in this position," according to latimes, scmp, and indiatimes.