The Trump administration has begun laying off thousands of federal workers in an effort to pressure Democrats amid the ongoing government shutdown.
The RIFs have begun, White House Office of Management Director Russell Vought announced in a post on X on Friday morning, referring to an acronym for reductions in force. Figures indicate that over 4,000 positions across seven agencies are being eliminated.
President Trump has utilized the shutdown to further his longstanding agenda of reducing the federal workforce. Immediate layoff notices have been issued to employees in departments such as Treasury, Health and Human Services, and Homeland Security.
The American Federation of Government Employees has filed a lawsuit challenging these layoffs, raising concerns over the legality of firing workers during the shutdown.
As the government remains closed due to a lack of funding agreements, nearly 40% of federal workers are affected, causing significant disruption to essential services. Past shutdowns typically involved furloughed employees being compensated retroactively, raising concerns that current cuts represent a more severe approach.
Lawmakers continue to debate budget measures, with Democrats insisting that any agreement must preserve crucial healthcare tax credits and reverse Medicaid cuts. The current impasse has left many workers uncertain about their future.
