Trump Orders 4,000 Federal Worker Firings Amid Shutdown Standoff/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The Trump administration has begun mass layoffs of federal workers during the ongoing government shutdown, affecting over 4,000 employees. The White House says the move is intended to pressure Democrats into reopening the government. Critics argue the firings are punitive, unprecedented, and may be illegal.
Federal Firings and Shutdown Quick Looks
- Over 4,000 federal employees set to be fired as shutdown enters Day 10
- OMB Director Russ Vought confirms layoffs, saying “RIFs have begun”
- Treasury and HHS hit hardest, with 1,400+ and 1,100+ job losses respectively
- Departments of Education, HUD, Commerce, and EPA also affected
- Trump: firings target ‘Democrat-oriented’ agencies and employees
- AFGE files lawsuit, calls mass firings “illegal and disgraceful”
- Republicans Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski criticize White House tactics
- Shutdown negotiations stalled, with no meetings or bipartisan progress
- Trump warns many jobs ‘will never come back’ if shutdown continues
- Democrats accuse administration of ‘deliberate chaos’ and political targeting
Deep Look: Trump Administration Fires Thousands of Federal Workers as Shutdown Strategy Escalates
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The White House confirmed Friday that it has begun firing thousands of federal employees, escalating the government shutdown into a direct confrontation with Democrats in Congress. The unprecedented move, described by critics as punitive and legally questionable, comes as the shutdown enters its 10th day with no resolution in sight.
According to a court filing and multiple agency sources, more than 4,000 federal employees across several departments are being terminated as part of a broader reduction-in-force (RIF) strategy ordered by President Donald Trump’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
OMB Director Russ Vought announced on social media:
“The RIFs have begun.”
The sweeping layoffs represent a departure from traditional shutdown protocols, where workers are furloughed and later reinstated with back pay. Instead, these terminations could be permanent, raising serious concerns about legality, morale, and long-term consequences for government operations.
Agencies Hit the Hardest
The departments most severely affected include:
- Department of the Treasury: over 1,400 employees
- Health and Human Services (HHS): more than 1,100 employees
- Department of Education and Housing and Urban Development (HUD): each more than 400 jobs lost
- Commerce, Energy, EPA, and Homeland Security: hundreds of additional layoffs
While the exact breakdown by program remains unclear, union representatives and agency insiders confirmed that critical offices — including the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) — are experiencing mass cuts.
Trump: Layoffs Focused on ‘Democrat-Oriented’ Workers
In Oval Office comments Friday evening, Trump signaled the layoffs were intentional and politically driven.
“We’re going to make a determination, do we want a lot? And I must tell you, a lot of them happen to be Democrat-oriented,” Trump said. “Many of them will be fired.”
The president also claimed that some federal employees “were not appropriate,” without providing specific examples or performance-related justification.
Legal Challenges and Union Opposition
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents hundreds of thousands of civil servants, quickly filed a federal lawsuit to halt the layoffs. AFGE President Everett Kelley called the mass terminations:
“An abuse of power designed to punish workers and pressure Congress. It is disgraceful that the Trump administration is using the government shutdown as an excuse to illegally fire thousands of workers who provide critical services.”
The lawsuit argues that the White House is violating long-standing legal protections that prevent permanent terminations based solely on political or budget-related motivations during a temporary funding lapse.
Bipartisan Criticism Mounts
Though Trump’s base has largely supported his tough posture during the shutdown, several prominent Republicans broke ranks with the administration’s approach.
Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said:
“I strongly oppose Director Vought’s attempt to permanently lay off federal workers who have been furloughed due to a completely unnecessary government shutdown.”
Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) added that the move was “poorly timed” and represents “yet another example of this administration’s punitive actions toward the federal workforce.”
Democratic leaders echoed those criticisms. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said:
“They don’t have to do it — they want to. This is deliberate chaos. They’re callously choosing to hurt the very workers who protect our country and support our communities.”
Notices Already Delivered
Several agencies have already begun issuing termination notices, including:
- Department of Education: Nearly all employees below director level in some offices
- CISA (under DHS): Layoffs justified by DHS as a way to “refocus” the agency
- EPA: Blamed the firings on congressional Democrats
- HHS: Confirmed staff cuts but has not detailed which offices are impacted
Officials said more cuts will follow unless Congress passes a bill to reopen the government.
Shutdown Politics and Gridlock in Congress
While federal employees face growing uncertainty, Capitol Hill remains largely inactive. Both the House and Senate are currently not in session, and no formal negotiations have occurred between Democratic and Republican leaders.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) continued to pressure moderate Democrats to cross party lines and support a short-term funding bill. However, Democrats remain unified in demanding restoration of health benefits as part of any agreement.
Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Appropriations Committee, stated:
“This shutdown does not give Trump or Vought new, special powers to fire federal workers. This is nothing new, and no one should be intimidated by these crooks.”
Impact on Federal Workforce and Public Services
Since the start of Trump’s second term in January, more than 200,000 civil servants have already exited government service, according to the Partnership for Public Service — due to early retirements, resignations, and prior terminations.
President and CEO Max Stier warned that the latest cuts would further weaken government expertise and capacity:
“These unnecessary and misguided reductions in force will rob the federal government of critical expertise and hobble its capacity to effectively serve the public.”
If the shutdown drags on, Trump has indicated that more firings are imminent and that “a lot of those jobs will never come back.”
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