The threat of an Oct. 1 government shutdown is growing, as Republicans see a possible advantage for President Donald Trump in closing agencies and Democrats question whether things could get any worse.
Trump’s budget director, Russell Vought, is at the center of the fight. Tensions between the White House and Democratic lawmakers are at a breaking point over Vought’s unilateral actions to cancel or freeze federal funding and are impacting negotiations to avert a shutdown.
Lawmakers still have time to avoid a funding lapse. But they only have 22 days left until the end of the fiscal year and still ...