TRUMP SLAMS DEMOCRATIC SHUTDOWN AS COSTING U.S. ECONOMY TWO POINTS IN GDP

Donald Trump on Friday insisted that Democrats’ ongoing shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security has cost the U.S. economy at least two points in gross domestic product (GDP), calling it a miniature version of last year’s government shutdown.

The President also demanded immediate interest rate cuts and launched an attack on Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, labeling him “the WORST.”

Trump cited reports from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) that an eight-week government shutdown would reduce annualized real GDP growth in the fourth quarter of 2025 by two percentage points. The CBO also identified a potential permanent economic loss of up to $14 billion due to unrecovered federal work hours.

The current “mini form” shutdown began on February 14, disrupting funding for agencies including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Transportation Security Administration, and the Coast Guard.

Democrats have framed the funding pause as necessary in response to the deaths of two U.S. citizens during federal immigration operations in Minneapolis last month. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries have demanded several “common-sense” reforms for immigration enforcement be codified into law, including requiring officers to present judicial warrants before entering private property, banning masks for Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, and requiring them to display name tags and identification.

Meanwhile, Trump’s criticism of Powell comes as the Justice Department is conducting a criminal investigation into him regarding his testimony about the $2.6 billion renovation of the Federal Reserve’s headquarters. Powell has previously dismissed the probe as a “pretext” for political pressure.