President Donald Trump has threatened mass layoffs and other “irreversible” consequences from the government shutdown, but after more than a week, those threats have not manifested, leading to a “growing belief” that it is another example of “TACO” – or “Trump Always Chickens Out,” according to the Washington Post.
Virginia Democratic Representative James Walkinshaw told the newspaper: “It was clear to me that it was absolute bluster and B.S. And by the way, the federal employees that I represent saw it as such as well.” A White House spokesperson blamed Democrats for the shutdown, stating: “We didn’t want the Democrats to shut down the government… Any lapse in funding, this one brought on by the Democrats, unfortunately has consequences. The Democrats can reopen the government at any time.”
Visible changes to the federal workforce include suspended non-essential services and delayed pay, but Trump’s threats of permanent job cuts have not been carried out. A State Department employee called the potential firings “an empty threat”, while an Agriculture Department worker said she treats Trump’s claims as “background noise”. Previous government shutdowns have not led to mass layoffs.
The “TACO” acronym first emerged earlier this year among Wall Street traders describing Trump’s pattern of making trade policy threats that cause market dips before he walks them back. For example, after unveiling “Liberation Day” tariffs in April, the market plunged; he then ordered a 90-day pause, prompting a record high. Trump has also reversed stances on other issues, including rehiring hundreds of workers after sweeping cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency.
This week, Trump suggested he would negotiate with Democrats to end the shutdown, but then walked it back, insisting on Truth Social that they must cave first. The president has yet to act on his threats to slash federal jobs permanently, leaving many employees sceptical he will ever follow through.
