The Trump administration commenced the layoff of thousands of federal employees across various agencies on Friday, marking the 10th day of the U.S. government shutdown.
President Donald Trump informed reporters in the Oval Office on Friday afternoon that the total number of federal employees facing layoffs would “be significant.”
“It’ll focus on Democrat interests,” Trump stated, reinforcing his intention to target initiatives he believes are supported by Democratic leaders.
The permanent job reductions, officially termed “Reductions in Force,” differ from the furloughing of government personnel. Furloughed workers resume their positions once the government shutdown concludes.
The layoffs were initially revealed by Russell Vought, the head of the Office of Management and Budget.
“The RIFs have commenced,” Vought posted on X.
OMB soon after validated his post, confirming that the reductions “are considerable.”
RIF notices were distributed to employees in the departments of Treasury, Health and Human Services, Commerce, Education, Energy, EPA, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, and Interior.
A submission by the Justice Department in U.S. District Court in San Francisco late Friday indicated that at least 4,000 federal workers received notification of layoffs, with Treasury and HHS experiencing the largest reductions, exceeding 1,100 employees each.
The submission responded to a lawsuit filed on September 30 by two unions representing numerous federal employees, the American Federation of Government Employees and the American Federation of County, State & Municipal Employees.
The lawsuit contests the legality of the RIFs, which were threatened by the Trump administration at the time the lawsuit was initiated. A hearing on the unions’ plea for a temporary restraining order to prevent the layoffs is slated for Wednesday in San Francisco.
“These mass layoffs are unlawful and will severely impact the services millions of Americans rely on daily,” AFSCME President Lee Saunders stated in a statement.
“Whether it’s food safety inspectors, public safety personnel, or the many other public service workers that sustain America, federal employees should not be pawns in this administration’s political maneuvers,” Saunders added.
The layoffs commenced four days after National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett cautioned in a CNBC interview that they could “begin implementing drastic measures” if the shutdown persisted due to the absence of a stopgap funding agreement approved by Congress.
Hassett remarked that “any government employee who loses their job” would have Democrats to hold accountable for their termination.
While numerous federal employees have been furloughed due to the shutdown, it is not standard procedure during shutdowns to permanently terminate government personnel.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, declared, “Russell Vought has just terminated thousands of Americans with a tweet.”
“To be frank: no one is compelling Trump and Vought to do this,” Schumer stated. “They are not obligated to act this way; it is their choice. They are heartlessly opting to harm individuals — the workers that safeguard our nation, check our food, and respond during emergencies. This is intentional disorder.”
“What is even worse is: Republicans would prefer to see thousands of Americans lose their jobs rather than engage in negotiations with Democrats to reopen the government,” Schumer said.
Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, commented, “I strongly disapprove of OMB Director Russ Vought’s effort to permanently lay off federal employees who have been furloughed due to an entirely unnecessary government shutdown instigated by Senator Schumer.”
“Regardless of whether federal employees have been working without compensation or have been furloughed, their roles are immensely significant in serving the public,” Collins emphasized. “Arbitrary layoffs lead to a deficiency of adequate personnel required to fulfill the agency’s mission and deliver essential services, causing distress to families in Maine and across the nation.”
Since the shutdown commenced last week, Vought has communicated via tweets decisions by the Trump administration to freeze and reduce billions in federal funding for initiatives in states and cities governed by Democratic officials.
The Trump administration and Republicans in Congress have consistently attempted to attribute blame to Democrats for the government shutdown and any adverse consequences resulting from it.
Democratic senators have largely declined to support a Republican stopgap funding measure intended to reopen the government, asserting that any such solution must include an agreement to prolong enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits.
These tax credits decrease the expenses of Obamacare health insurance plans acquired by millions of Americans from government-operated ACA exchanges.
Conflicting Republican and Democratic funding proposals have failed to pass in the Senate for the seventh time on Thursday.
The shutdown is anticipated to persist until at least early next week, as the Senate is not scheduled to resume activities until Tuesday.
Although Republicans have majorities in both the Senate and the House, they require the votes of at least some Democratic senators to move forward with a funding bill due to the 60-vote requirement in the Senate to bypass filibusters obstructing legislation.
