Sakshi Venkatraman
US reporter

It’s now day two of the US federal government shutdown.

Just a few minutes ago, President Donald Trump posted on social media, saying he’s focusing on which “Democrat agencies” can be slashed.

“I can’t believe the Radical Left Democrats gave me this unprecedented opportunity,” he said on Truth Social.

This is the first government shutdown in almost seven years, and Trump says Republicans need to use it to their advantage.

“Republicans must use this opportunity of Democrat forced closure to clear out dead wood, waste, and fraud,” he said overnight, again on Truth Social.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said yesterday that mass layoffs of government workers are “imminent”, and federal employees have told the BBC they’re concerned for their futures.

Democrats and Republicans are trading blame over the shutdown, under which thousands of workers have been put on unpaid leave

Stick with us for the latest updates and analysis as this situation continues to unfold.