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.
A spokesman for his office confirmed the cuts had started and were substantial. Later on Friday, the administration disclosed that seven agencies had begun laying off more than 4,000 workers.
President Donald Trump has consistently threatened to use the shutdown to further his long-held goal of reducing the federal workforce. By law, the federal government must give its workers at least 30-day notice that it is laying them off. Following Vought's tweet, major departments confirmed they were issuing notices to employees. However, exact details about the layoffs have remained scarce.
Major unions have filed a lawsuit challenging the legality of the announced layoffs. Historically, furloughed employees returned to work when the government reopened and were paid retroactively for their time away. Still, this current situation poses unprecedented challenges for employees.
As the government continues to grapple with funding issues, both sides of the political spectrum remain entrenched in their positions, increasing the stakes and uncertainty for federal workers.
