The Trump administration has initiated mass layoffs of federal workers during the ongoing shutdown, triggering lawsuits and political backlash over what unions call an illegal attempt to use the crisis to shrink government.
The Trump administration has begun laying off thousands of federal employees in an unprecedented escalation of the 10-day government shutdown.
White House budget chief Russell Vought confirmed the move on Friday with a post on 𝕏 declaring, “The RIFs have begun,” referring to “reductions in force”. A subsequent court filing revealed that seven agencies had issued notices to more than 4,600 workers, including 1,446 at the Treasury Department and over 1,100 at Health and Human Services.
Two major labour unions swiftly filed for a temporary restraining order, calling the layoffs “disgraceful” and accusing the administration of illegally firing workers “who provide critical services”.
The Justice Department argued that the shutdown was an opportunity to “optimize” federal workforces and insisted blocking the firings would “irreparably harm the government”.
Unlike past shutdowns, furloughed employees may not receive back pay. Republican Senator John Thune defended the move, while Democrat Chuck Schumer accused the White House of causing “deliberate chaos”.