Government Shutdown Looms as Trump Administration Faces Scrutiny on Multiple Fronts
Washington, D.C. - A government shutdown appeared increasingly likely Friday as President Donald Trump and Senate Democrats reached a deal Thursday evening that faces uncertain prospects in both the Senate and the House, according to Time. The potential shutdown, stemming from debates over immigration enforcement, would occur as the Trump administration faced scrutiny on multiple fronts, including the President's rhetoric and the actions of his appointees.
The looming shutdown was driven by disagreements over immigration enforcement, amid high-profile incidents involving federal agents across the country, including two recent killings of U.S. citizens in Minneapolis, Time reported. The most recent government shutdown, from October 1 to November 12, resulted in hundreds of thousands of federal workers being furloughed, flights disrupted, and states' food aid threatened.
Adding to the administration's challenges, Kari Lake, who oversees the parent agency of Voice of America (VOA), faced criticism for promoting President Trump on VOA's Persian language service in January 2026, according to NPR Politics. Critics argued that Lake's comments violated the spirit, and potentially the letter, of federal law intended to protect VOA's editorial independence. Lake has faced legal and political roadblocks in her efforts to dismantle the government-funded broadcaster, and has been accused of accelerating her use of the network to promote President Trump.
President Trump also commented on the strength of the U.S. dollar, stating on Tuesday that he welcomed its decline, NPR News reported. "I think it's great," Trump said, addressing reporters. "Look at the business we're doing. The dollar's doing great." Compared against a basket of major foreign currencies, the dollar was at its weakest point in four years.
Furthermore, President Trump used Truth Social to label Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old Veterans Affairs nurse killed by federal agents in Minneapolis on Jan. 24, as an "agitator and, perhaps, insurrectionist," Time reported. Trump's post referred to footage purportedly showing Pretti screaming and spitting in the face of an ICE officer and kicking a government vehicle. "It was quite a display of abuse and anger, for all to see, crazed and out of control," Trump wrote.
In other news, tensions flared on the reality TV show "The Traitors," where former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Lisa Rinna clashed with The Bachelor alum Colton Underwood, Time reported.
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