Government shutdown updates: Leavitt says Trump exploring cutting aid to Portland

Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a memo to staff of the Justice Department Tuesday, placing blame on Democrats for any potential government shutdown that she says could result in some of DOJ's activities coming to a halt.

"Unfortunately, Democrats are blocking [the] Continuing Resolution in the U.S. Senate due to unrelated policy demands," Bondi said in the memo. "If Congressional Democrats maintain their current posture and refuse to pass a clean Continuing Resolution to keep the government funded before 12:00 a.m. On Oct. 1, 2025, federal appropriated funding will lapse."

Bondi noted the department has existing contingency plans in place in the event a shutdown occurs and informed applicable employees to be on the lookout in the event they are temporarily furloughed.

The department has previously said civil litigation activities could be curtailed or "postponed" as a result of a shutdown -- and operations such as training of employees and work in offices not involving national security, law enforcement or criminal justice system responsibilities could also be impacted.

-ABC News' Alexander Mallin

Trump told reporters that his administration was close to finalizing a deal with Harvard University, which would include the university paying $500 million and operating trade schools.

"This would be a giant trade school, a series of trade schools. It would be run by Harvard," he added.

Harvard and the Department of Education did not immediately have a comment.

-ABC News' Hannah Demissie

Staff from the Department of Health and Human Services, the Social Security Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Office of Personnel Management also received a partisan letter that blamed Democrats for the imminent shutdown, according to emails reviewed by ABC News.

The emails blame "unrelated policy demands" of congressional Democrats.

-ABC News' Will Steakin

President Donald Trump was asked about laying off federal workers if a government shutdown happens.

The president again blamed Democrats but admitted that "a lot of good things can come from shutdowns."

"We can get rid of a lot of things that we didn't want," he said.