"It's likely going to be in the thousands," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Thursday, saying that the "entire team at the White House" was working to identify possible cuts. READ MORE: Shutdown tests lenders' plans to keep loans movingHouse Speaker Mike Johnson met with Trump at the White House on Thursday. He earlier defended Trump's threat, saying that the president has the power to fire workers and cut spending during a shutdown. The White House, he added, is "going to look to the administration's priorities and make sure they are funded." A Washington Post poll found that more voters blame Trump and Republicans for the government shutdown than they do Democrats — by a 17-point margin.