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, referring to 'reductions in force'.
A spokesman confirmed that the cuts are 'substantial' and are affecting seven agencies, involving more than 4,000 workers. President Trump has threatened to use the shutdown to reduce the federal workforce further.
By law, federal workers must receive at least 30 days' notice before layoffs. Major departments like Treasury and Health and Human Services are reportedly issuing notices to employees, while unions have filed lawsuits against these actions, calling them illegal.
The layoffs are unprecedented; in previous shutdowns, employees returned to work and were paid retroactively. Currently, the ongoing shutdown, which began 10 days ago, has left nearly 750,000 federal workers without pay. As Congress debates a funding plan, tensions escalate as both parties blame each other for the standoff.
Significantly reducing the federal workforce has been a long-term goal of the Trump administration, which has already cut around 200,000 federal jobs since Trump took office. The current situation and the ongoing negotiations highlight the complexities and impacts of the shutdown on government operations and federal workers.
