Trump has defied norms on executive power. What actions could he take amid a government shutdown? - Poynter

"If the government shuts down, President Donald Trump and his administration - which has already defied norms on executive power - likely will seek to exert more power. Trump's Office of Management and Budget under Russell Vought has moved with more executive authority over spending, which is typically left to Congress. The administration took steps to cancel foreign aid and asserted power to withhold billions of domestic spending."

""I would expect this shutdown to look different than any other shutdown," said Joshua Sewell, Taxpayers for Common Sense director of research and policy. He said he expects that the Trump team's actions would be guided by what they believe achieves the most for them politically. Trump could use a shutdown to dismantle government functions, wrote Max Stier, chief executive of the Partnership for Public Service, a nonprofit focused on improving the federal government."

Democrats aim to use the must-pass spending bill to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies and reverse Medicaid cuts to prevent insurance from becoming unaffordable for millions. Republicans seek a temporary extension of federal spending at current levels without policy add-ons. The Trump administration has linked a shutdown to potential mass federal worker layoffs and increased executive control over spending through the Office of Management and Budget under Russell Vought. The administration has taken steps to cancel foreign aid and claimed authority to withhold billions in domestic spending. Observers warn the administration could sideline services and employees beyond past shutdown norms.

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