Vought’s and Trump’s Stupid Shutdown Bluster

Trump’s wannabe enforcers threaten mass firings — but Democrats should dare them to try.

On day one of the shutdown, Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought got on the horn with House Republicans and declared that the Trump administration would start firing federal employees “within one to two days.” According to GOP sources, this was supposed to scare Democrats into caving.

Cue the laughter. Who cares? Go for it, Russell. We dare you.

Like a Trumpian child stomping his feet, Vought is trying to wield “mass firings” like a toy hammer. But it’s not like the GOP hasn’t already gutted the federal workforce by the tens of thousands. And with the village idiot himself polling at a miserable 36–41%, the idea that his merry band of political arsonists can fire thousands more without setting themselves on fire is delusional.

Of course, delusion is the point. This entire shutdown strategy is stamped with Trump’s fingerprints. The “no surrender,” “don’t negotiate,” “we have the biggest dicks in the room” strategy reeks of Donald’s rotten stench. Watching OMB Director Russell Vought, Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate GOPers like John Thune and James Langford, Vice President JD Vance, and even Liddle’ Marco Rubio recite the talking points on Fox, in hallway gaggles, and on social media is like watching bad improv: the same clownish routine, the same fake bravado, all in service of the orange overlord.