White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Friday that layoffs are necessary amid the Democrat-forced government shutdown because of the United States’ exorbitant debt and absence of money flowing into federal coffers.
During her second press briefing of the week, Leavitt matter-of-factly answered a reporter who asked why layoffs were necessary.
"Why are layoffs now necessary in this shutdown?"@PressSec: "We are $37T in debt and the federal government is currently shut down. There is no more money... Democrats have given this Administration an unenviable choice." pic.twitter.com/rejyrDqQnz
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 3, 2025