US President Donald Trump plans to play golf on Saturday amid the government shutdown due to the lack of a budget deal, according to the White House press office. Another attempt to reach a budget deal failed on Friday. The government shutdown will last until at least October 6.
According to the press office, Trump will leave the White House on Saturday to go to his golf club in neighboring Virginia.
The US federal government shut down on Wednesday after Congress failed to reach an agreement on a spending bill. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that approximately 750,000 federal employees could be furloughed each day of the shutdown. These workers will not be paid until they return to work after the shutdown ends.
Republicans control both houses of Congress, but they need 60 votes in the Senate to pass a bill to keep the government funded. The ruling party currently holds 53 seats.
Trump has previously said he could use the government shutdown to make sweeping cuts to staff and pay. He has argued that Democrats' position has created the budget impasse and that the White House is taking advantage of the current situation to eliminate programs that Republicans don't like.