President Trump smiles as he is cheered by supporters at start of a rally in Indiana, Pennsylvania, September 23, 2024, photo by Kristinn Taylor.

President Trump has an ace up in his sleeve as Democrats push the federal government toward a shutdown.

As The Gateway Pundit reported, the US Senate on Friday rejected two measures to fund the government as a shutdown loomed. Both measures needed 60 votes to pass.

The Senate rejected a Trump-backed House-passed stopgap bill 44-48 and blocked a Democrat version 47-45. The Trump-backed stopgap bill would have funded the government until November 21.

Following the vote, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries blamed Republicans and Trump for the looming shutdown.

They also demanded a meeting with Trump, who told them to pound sand.

Now, a twist emerges. If the Democrats succeed in their obstruction, the Trump Adminstration will likely start firing federal employees working on any program not funded by another law.

Once the shutdown ends and funding is reinstated, agencies across the federal goverment will only keep the bare minimum number employees to operate.

In other words, America will be getting a much-needed downsizing of government thanks to mass layoffs.

From the Washington Post:

The memo from the White House Office of Management and Budget directs agencies to consider firing employees working on any program that is not funded by another law, such as Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act enacted in July, and which does not align with the president’s priorities.

Once government funding is reinstated after a shutdown, agencies should revise their plans to keep only the smallest number of employees necessary to legally operate.

Heads, Trump wins. Tails, the Democrats lose.