**UPDATE:** The press briefing began promptly at 1:19 PM, featuring Vice President JD Vance alongside Karoline Leavitt as they addressed the current government shutdown and responded to media inquiries.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is set to hold a briefing this afternoon, following the Senate’s recent failure to pass a continuing resolution, which is crucial for funding government operations.
The government officially shut down at midnight after Senate Democrats chose to hold the budget as leverage for their demands, which include a hefty $1.5 trillion for initiatives like providing free healthcare to undocumented immigrants and gender transition services for minors.
This action comes despite survey data indicating that a significant majority of voters, including almost half of registered Democrats, express that they do not support a government shutdown to advance what some label a radical agenda, according to a recent New York Times poll.
As highlighted by The Gateway Pundit, former President Trump had previously urged Democrats to avoid a shutdown. However, he issued a warning on Tuesday detailing that he would pursue “irreversible” measures to ensure the implementation of his policy agenda should Democrats refuse to negotiate on the government funding bill.
Expect today’s press briefing to prominently feature discussions surrounding what has been dubbed the “Schumer Shutdown.” In a rather amusing turn of events, prior to the briefing, the White House Press Office teased the left-leaning media with a looped video showcasing Democratic Senators vehemently opposing government shutdowns during their time in power. Ah, the irony could fill a stadium.
WATCH:
This is quite a spectacle. Just before the 1 PM briefing, @WhiteHouse is subjecting liberal journalists to watch their favorite politicians denounce shutdowns, starkly contrasted by the current situation where they initiated it to protect taxpayer-funded healthcare for non-citizens pic.twitter.com/Nwz6KQLPFb
— Jordan Conradson (@ConradsonJordan) October 1, 2025
This press briefing arrives on the heels of President Trump’s announcement concerning the deployment of National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon, aimed at assisting Immigration and Customs Enforcement as well as addressing ongoing civil unrest. Meanwhile, local leaders—including Oregon’s Governor and Attorney General Dan Rayfield—are challenging this action in court.
In addition, another National Guard initiative is underway in Memphis, Tennessee, with federal agents mobilized to establish the “Memphis Safe Task Force” to tackle crime. This initiative is part of Trump’s broader strategy to enforce law and order in America’s most high-crime urban areas. Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed this morning that over 50 arrests have occurred within the last 48 hours due to coordinated efforts involving numerous agencies alongside the National Guard.
Interestingly, Trump is also contemplating a National Guard deployment in Chicago, following a previous action that sent Homeland Security agents to enhance immigration law enforcement last month.
Leavitt is anticipated to discuss these developments at 1 PM ET. For those interested, you can watch the briefing live below:
