The White House budget office announced on Friday the commencement of large-scale dismissals of federal employees. This move by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration is aimed at increasing pressure on Democratic lawmakers amidst the government shutdown entering its tenth day.
Russ Vought, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, confirmed via a social media platform that the implementation of reduction-in-force plans, known as RIFs, had begun to downsize the federal government workforce. A court filing revealed that more than 4,000 employees were slated for termination, subject to the evolving funding circumstances.
The Treasury Department and the Health and Human Services Department are expected to bear the brunt of the firings, with over 1,400 and 1,100 job cuts respectively. Additionally, the Education Department, Housing and Urban Development, as well as the Departments of Commerce, Energy, Homeland Security, and the Environmental Protection Agency, are set to shed hundreds of staff without specifying the affected programs.
This unprecedented action by Trump’s budget office intensifies the already strained relationship between the White House and Congress, significantly diverging from the usual procedures during a government shutdown. The discussions to end the shutdown remain minimal.
Traditionally, 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. Trump has directed the Defense Department to utilize all available funds to ensure timely payment to U.S. troops despite the ongoing shutdown.
In a statement, Trump indicated that the firings would predominantly impact areas aligned with Democrats, without specifying further details. Leading Republicans have criticized the administration’s actions, with some denouncing the layoffs as punitive and unnecessary.
The White House had signaled its strategy before the shutdown, instructing federal agencies to submit their reduction-in-force proposals for evaluation. The Education Department and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency are among the agencies already experiencing layoffs.
The American Federation of Government Employees has opposed the firings, labeling them as an abuse of power meant to coerce Congress and penalize workers. Democrats have challenged the legality of the dismissals, with Trump hinting at further job cuts in the coming days.