The Trump administration did not anticipate a lengthy shutdown of the federal government, nor did it grasp what the federal government actually does before President Donald Trump shut it down December 22.
Now hours away from entering the third week of the shutdown, administration officials are scrambling to understand what they’ve done, according to a scathing report in The Washington Post Friday evening.
“The Trump administration, which had not anticipated a long-term shutdown, recognized only this week the breadth of the potential impact, several senior administration officials said. The officials said they were focused now on understanding the scope of the consequences and determining whether there is anything they can do to intervene.”
Conservative commentator David Frum summed up the article in the Post by tweeting that “Team Trump was so ready to shut down” the government because “they had no idea” what the government does.
The Washington Post also explains that “Food stamps for 38 million low-income Americans would face severe reductions and more than $140 billion in tax refunds are at risk of being frozen or delayed if the government shutdown stretches into February.”
One far right wing GOP Congressman who serves as the chairman of the extremist Freedom Caucus was also reportedly unaware that food stamps would run out and Americans will literally go hungry in the dead of winter.
“Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), a top House conservative who had cheered Trump’s approach in the political confrontation, said he was unaware that there would be any impact on SNAP benefits,” the Post reports.
“He said he was convinced this money was automatically appropriated by Congress: ‘Food stamps go on regardless,’ he said.”
That is incorrect.
Read the entire report here.