Trump Administration Under Fire for Partisan Shutdown Blame Amid Ethics Warnings

As the September 30, 2025 deadline passed, potentially triggering a government shutdown, the Trump administration is facing intense scrutiny for allegedly deploying federal resources to overtly blame Congressional Democrats. Ethics experts warn that these actions could constitute violations of federal law, including the Hatch Act.

Reports indicate that federal agencies, including the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), displayed highly partisan messages on public websites. HUD’s site featured a prominent banner and pop-up message stating, “The Radical Left in Congress shut down the government. HUD will use available resources to help Americans in need.”

Internal communications from the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) reportedly directed numerous federal departments and agencies to inform staff that any lapse in funding would be “forced by Congressional Democrats.” This partisan directive was sent to entities such as the Departments of Interior, Commerce, Labor, and Justice, a significant departure from the non-partisan language typically used by previous administrations during similar funding impasses.

Ethics watchdogs and legal experts have swiftly raised concerns. Michael Fallings, an employment law partner, suggested that the explicit blaming of a political party and references to the “radical left” could violate the Hatch Act, which restricts political activity by federal employees in their official capacity. Donald Sherman, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), emphasized that while not technically advocating for candidates, such messages violate the spirit of impartiality expected from federal service.

The controversy unfolds as Republicans, despite controlling both chambers of Congress, require Democratic support in the Senate to pass a clean Continuing Resolution. Compounding the tension, the White House has also reportedly threatened to fire federal workers during a shutdown, a stark contrast to the traditional approach of temporary furloughs.

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