Donald Trump did not try to hide his good mood on Thursday, October 2, the second day of the government shutdown. The American president sees the closure of much of the government, brought on by budget disagreements between Republicans and Democrats, as a double opportunity: to further dismantle the federal state and to win a PR battle against his opponents by turning the negotiations over healthcare coverage for the poorest Americans – at the heart of the standoff – into a debate about immigration. “I can’t believe the Radical Left Democrats gave me this unprecedented opportunity,” he posted on his social network, Truth Social.

Trump had already sent out a warning: If the shutdown led to hundreds of thousands of federal employees being furloughed, many might not get their jobs back once the standoff ended. “I have a meeting today with Russ Vought, he of PROJECT 2025 Fame, to determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a political SCAM, he recommends to be cut, and whether or not those cuts will be temporary or permanent,” he posted Thursday morning.

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