The White House budget office announced on Friday the initiation of large-scale dismissals of federal employees, a move by the Trump administration to increase pressure on Democratic lawmakers amid the prolonged government shutdown. Russ Vought, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, confirmed the start of reduction-in-force plans on the social media platform X.
According to a court filing, over 4,000 federal employees are expected to be terminated, with the Treasury Department facing the loss of more than 1,400 staff and the Health and Human Services Department anticipating a reduction of over 1,100 employees. Similarly, the Education Department, Housing and Urban Development Department, as well as the Commerce, Energy, Homeland Security Departments, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are set to terminate hundreds of employees, although the specific programs affected remain unclear.
This move by the budget office significantly deviates from the usual procedures during a government shutdown and intensifies the already strained relationship between the White House and Congress, with minimal discussions to end the shutdown currently taking place. Typically, furloughed federal workers are reinstated with back pay once the shutdown concludes, with an estimated 750,000 employees expected to be furloughed during this period.
President Trump directed the Defense Department to utilize all available funds to ensure timely payment for U.S. troops despite the shutdown. The administration’s actions have drawn criticism from some prominent Republicans, with Maine Senator Susan Collins and Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski opposing the layoffs as unnecessary and punitive towards federal employees.
The White House had foreshadowed these measures before the shutdown began, instructing federal agencies to submit their reduction-in-force plans for review. Layoff notices have already been issued at the Education Department and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). The Department of Homeland Security stated that the layoffs at CISA were part of a realignment to refocus the agency.
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents federal workers, has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the firings, with AFGE President Everett Kelley denouncing the dismissals as an abuse of power and an attempt to coerce Congress.
Democrats have raised legal concerns over the firings, questioning their legality. Nonetheless, President Trump hinted at further job cuts within a few days if the shutdown persists, warning that the consequences could be substantial and irreversible.
