5 months ago
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(NewsNation) — Scott Turner, President Trump’s caput of Housing and Urban Development, rejects accusations his bureau was misusing its authorities website by publically blaming Democrats for the authorities shutdown.
A reddish banner astatine the apical of hud.gov connected Wednesday evening offered this assessment: “The Radical Left successful Congress unopen down the government. HUD volition usage disposable resources assistance Americans successful need.”
That connection was shorter than the longer 1 posted the time before, connected the eve of the shutdown, arsenic documented successful a Getty Images photograph. It said: “The Radical Left are going to unopen down the authorities and inflict monolithic symptom connected the American radical unless they get their $1.5 trillion privation database of demands. The Trump medication wants to support the authorities unfastened for the American people.”
A shutdown connection connected the Housing and Urban Development website, arranged connected a laptop astatine the US Capitol successful Washington, D.C., connected Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025. As Washington careened toward a authorities shutdown Tuesday, the Trump medication utilized national websites and worker email lists to dispersed a elemental but antithetic message: Blame the Democrats. Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesAppearing connected “CUOMO" connected Wednesday, Turner said helium doesn’t hold with critics who suggest the messaging is simply a usurpation of the Hatch Act, the 1939 instrumentality that mostly bans politicking with enforcement subdivision resources.
“I’m not utilized to seeing bare governmental propaganda connected a authorities website. Are you disquieted astir this violating the Hatch Act?” big Chris Cuomo asked.
Turner replied: “No, sir, we’re not disquieted astatine all, and this is not astir propaganda, Chris, this is conscionable astir letting the American radical cognize what’s going on.”
Why has the national authorities unopen down?
The national authorities partially unopen down Wednesday aft Republicans who power Congress could not get Democrats to hold to a spending measure to support things moving into October. Democrats person demanded restoration of subsidies for low- and middle-income citizens who acquisition wellness security done the Affordable Care Act. The number enactment besides wants to reverse aboriginal Medicaid cuts the GOP passed arsenic portion of Trump’s “One Big, Beautiful Bill Act.”
With the national authorities successful shutdown mode, Turner said his bureau would beryllium “focused connected serving the astir susceptible radical of this country.” Asked however galore nationalist lodging residents trust connected Medicaid benefits, the HUD caput said helium didn’t know.
“I privation to springiness you a close answer. I don’t privation to conscionable propulsion thing retired determination due to the fact that that’s not however I operate,” Turner said.
Hundreds of thousands of national workers were furloughed Wednesday, with indispensable workers continuing to amusement up with nary pay. Active-duty work members could besides miss a paycheck if the shutdown continues. Meanwhile, Trump has promised to usage the shutdown arsenic an excuse to occurrence further national workers; downsizing the authorities has been a large precedence successful his 2nd word successful office.
“The Democrats privation to unopen it down. So, erstwhile you unopen it down, you person to bash layoffs. So, we’d beryllium laying disconnected a batch of radical that are going to beryllium precise affected, and the Democrats, they’re going to beryllium Democrats,” the president said.
