The White House budget office announced on Friday that a series of large-scale terminations of federal employees has commenced, a move by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration to increase pressure on Democratic lawmakers amid the ongoing government shutdown, now in its tenth day.
Russ Vought, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, disclosed on the social media platform X that the implementation of reduction-in-force plans, known as “RIFs,” has started with the goal of downsizing the federal government.
In a legal document, the budget office stated that more than 4,000 employees would be terminated, although it acknowledged the funding situation is constantly changing. The most substantial layoffs are expected at the Treasury Department, with over 1,400 job cuts, followed by the Health and Human Services Department, anticipating a reduction of more than 1,100 staff. Similarly, the Education Department, Housing and Urban Development, as well as the departments of Commerce, Energy, Homeland Security, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are also set to dismiss hundreds of employees, with specific program impacts remaining unclear.
This drastic action by Trump’s budget office diverges significantly from the usual protocol during a government shutdown, further heightening the already strained relationship between the White House and Congress, with negotiations to end the shutdown at a standstill. Typically, furloughed federal workers are reinstated with back pay once the shutdown concludes, and it is estimated that around 750,000 employees will be furloughed during this period.
In response to the mass firings, Trump asserted on Saturday that he has instructed the Defense Department to utilize all available funds to ensure timely payment for U.S. troops, despite the shutdown. The President indicated that the dismissals would predominantly affect areas aligned with Democratic interests, without specifying further details.
Several prominent Republicans expressed disapproval of the administration’s actions, with Senator Susan Collins condemning the layoffs as unnecessary consequences of the shutdown. Senator Lisa Murkowski criticized the timing of the terminations, labeling them as punitive measures against federal workers while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer placed the blame squarely on Trump for the dismissals.
The White House had signaled its intentions prior to the shutdown’s commencement, instructing federal agencies to submit their reduction-in-force plans for review. Recently, the Education Department and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) under the Department of Homeland Security confirmed new layoffs, with ongoing notices issued to various agencies.
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), representing federal workers, filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the firings. The AFGE denounced the terminations as an abuse of power to coerce Congress and punish workers, seeking legal intervention to halt the dismissals.
Democrats have challenged the legality of the firings, emphasizing that the administration’s actions may violate regulations. Despite initial hesitancy, the White House is now moving forward with its plan to reduce the federal workforce, with Trump warning of substantial job cuts if the shutdown persists.