(NewsNation) — President Donald Trump held a Cabinet meeting Thursday amid a government shutdown and rising tensions over the deployment of National Guard troops.
The president spent much of the meeting celebrating the peace deal in Gaza after Hamas agreed to Phase 1 of the plan.
The meeting also focused heavily on efforts to deploy National Guard troops to fight crime, with Cabinet members repeatedly saying that local leaders who say they don’t need help are lying or are in favor of crime.
“We’re only going to cut Democrat programs,” Trump said of his administration’s plan to manage the money it has as the shutdown continues.
The shutdown has dragged into its second week, leaving some departments understaffed and federal workers without pay. The White House has threatened to permanently lay off workers if the shutdown continues, a departure from the typical procedure of furloughing nonessential personnel.
A law passed in 2019 makes back pay for workers automatic, but Trump suggested earlier in the week that only some might receive it and that others do not deserve it.
Thursday’s Cabinet meeting comes as the administration also faces court battles over the deployment of National Guard troops to Chicago and Portland, Oregon.
Trump has characterized both cities as crime-ridden and rife with violence, something local leaders dispute.
The administration will be in court Thursday after Illinois sued to stop the deployment of troops, and it has already faced two court rulings against the deployment in Portland.
Despite those rulings, Trump has remained committed to using National Guard troops in Democratic-led cities and has said he could invoke the little-used Insurrection Act to justify the use of the military to fight crime.
Chinese export controls
Trump declined to state what his goals are for an upcoming visit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
China has recently stopped buying U.S. soybeans.
Trump would not give specifics on what he would do to support farmers and blamed the industry’s difficulties on the Biden administration.
What guarantees Hamas will disarm?
When asked what guarantees there were that Hamas would disarm and Israel would stop bombing Gaza after hostages were returned, Trump said he would not discuss Phase 2 of negotiations.
When asked if he would promise Palestinians they could stay, he did not promise but said Gaza would be a better place.
He would not elaborate on any security guarantees the U.S. might make to ensure the deal is followed by both sides.
RFK Jr. speaks on Tyenol
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. repeated his and the administration’s stance that Tylenol is linked to autism birth outcomes if taken during pregnancy.
He said women who have openly said they will continue to take Tylenol during pregnancy are suffering from “Trump derangement syndrome,” which he said was “pathological.”
The Trump administration has admitted there is less research readily available around the potential link between Tylenol and Autism but their recommendation came out of an abundance of caution while further research is conducted. Meanwhile, medical experts have said the studies done on Tylenol and autism are not conclusive and Tylenol is safe for women to take while pregnant.
Vance blames Democrats for shutdown
Vice President JD Vance called for five more Democrats to vote with Republicans to pass a continuing resolution to fund the government for several more weeks.
Democrats have asked for several changes, chief among them the extension of COVID-era subsidies for Americans who buy health insurance on the exchange.
Republicans have stated they would not pass anything but a “clean” continuing resolution — with no changes from current funding.
President skips regular updates
Trump asked Cabinet members to raise their hands if they wanted to speak, skipping the usual round of updates due to his schedule for the day.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said energy would play a role in ending the war in Ukraine.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth repeated Trump’s philosophy of “peace through strength” and praised Trump’s negotiation skills.
Rubio: No deal on Gaza without Trump
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said a ceasefire in Gaza would not have been reached without the president.
“Yesterday was a human story. I don’t know of any other American president in the modern era who could have made this happen,” Rubio said.
Homeland Security purchases more buildings in Chicago
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the administration is buying additional buildings in Chicago and Portland, Oregon, for use by federal law enforcement.
She accused local leaders of lying about the situation on the ground.
“I told them if they didn’t work with us, then we would bring in more federal law enforcement,” Noem said.
Bondi touts arrests in Memphis
Attorney General Pam Bondi touted the number of arrests in Memphis, where the National Guard has been deployed at the request of Republican Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee.
Trump accused Democrats of inciting crime because of their objections to the use of National Guard troops in a law enforcement capacity.
Trump pushes National Guard deployment
The president continued to push for the use of the National Guard to fight crime in major cities over the objections of state and local leaders.
Trump accused the governors of Illinois and California of lying when they shared data showing crime has decreased in major cities.
The Trump administration has faced multiple court rulings against deployments.
Trump: Admin will cut Democrat progams
Trump said that if the shutdown continues, his administration will cut Democrat programs permanently and lay off staff.
Typically, presidents handle shutdowns with furloughs for federal workers deemed non-essential.
Permanently getting rid of employees or programs during a shutdown is an unprecedented move.
Crime in Washington, D.C.
The president said crime has dropped in Washington, D.C., after he deployed the National Guard in the nation’s capital.
D.C. leaders say crime was already down in the district and have sued to stop the deployment.
Trump celebrates tariffs
Trump continued to tout revenue generated by his sweeping tariff policies.
Tariffs are paid by the importer in the U.S., not the exporter, and the higher costs can be passed on to American consumers in the form of higher prices.
Trump blames ‘radical left’ for government shutdown
The president blamed what he called “radical left” Democrats for the government shutdown.
He argued Republicans were doing more for health care, saying they were reducing the cost of prescription drugs.
The administration has negotiated a deal with one company, Pfizer, to reduce prices on some medications for Medicaid and to offer some discounted medications on a direct-to-consumer website.
The deal does not apply to Medicare prices or prices for those who are privately insured through an employer or through the marketplace.
Still room for a deal on war in Ukraine: Trump
Trump said he believes there is still room for a deal between Russia and Ukraine to end the continued fighting.
He repeated his belief that the war would not have begun if he were president at the time.
Trump touts Gaza peace deal
Trump began discussing the deal for peace in Gaza.
Hamas agreed to the terms of Phase 1, which includes the return of hostages. Negotiations remain ongoing for the rest of the deal.
Trump said he believed the U.S. attack on Iran was important to the deal.
He thanked other countries involved with negotiations, including Turkey, Qatar and Egypt.
Proclamations signed for Columbus Day, Leif Erikson Day
President Trump began the meeting by signing proclamations honoring Leif Erikson Day and Columbus Day.
Leif Erikson was a Viking explorer who discovered Newfoundland.
“Columbus Day is back,” Trump said.
The comment seemed to be a reference to President Joe Biden becoming the first president to recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day, though he also officially recognized Columbus Day as well.