Trump and Congress stare down government shutdown

Tuesday, September 30, 2025

Good evening and welcome to your daily news briefing from The Independent.

Donald Trump is threatening 'irreversible' layoffs if Democrats don't come up with spending plan to avoid shutdown; a federal judge lambasted the administration's threats to the First Amendment; and top military officials sat in silence as Pete Hegseth delivered remarks on 'warrior ethos'

Top stories

1 | Trump threatens 'irreversible' layoffs if Democrats don't come up with spending plan to avoid shutdown

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2 | Judge takes down Trump in brutal ruling on free speech and reveals threat sent to him by MAGA fan

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3 | Hamas responds to peace plan deadline after Trump threatens 'very sad end'

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4 | Generals silent as Hegseth ends 'warrior ethos' rally speech: 'Out with the Milleys' and 'in with the Pattons'

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5 | Photojournalist hospitalized after masked ICE agents throw reporters to the ground in New York immigration courthouse

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The Big Question 

The U.S. government is once again on the verge of a shutdown.

For the 21st time in the past 50 years, all federal agencies will run out of money at midnight Tuesday — unless Congress acts to stop them.

While Republicans control both houses of Congress and the presidency, they still need 60 votes in the Senate to ram funding bills past a potential Democratic filibuster.

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WATCH 

'I call it the n-word': Trump goes off script while discussing nuclear weapons with military command

STAT OF THE DAY

135

Ohio police arrested dozens of people — including a Greek Orthodox priest in Cleveland and two teachers — as part of a statewide trafficking operation.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Such clueless, self-aggrandizing civilian leadership."

Army Major General Ret. Paul Eaton joined veterans condemning remarks  from Pete Hegseth to an unprecedented assembly of military officials.

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