The White House announced the start of substantial layoffs of federal workers due to the ongoing government shutdown, marking a significant escalation in the standoff.
Russ Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), confirmed on X that “The RIFs have begun,” referring to reductions in force.
The big picture: The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) stated employees across multiple divisions received layoff notices, identifying those workers as non-essential.
- HHS linked the layoffs directly to the “Democrat-led shutdown” and highlighted that the agency is closing “wasteful and duplicative entities” conflicting with the Trump administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” agenda.
- This approach contrasts with previous shutdowns where federal employees were furloughed temporarily rather than being laid off permanently.
Driving the news: President Donald Trump warned earlier that “a lot of those jobs will never come back” if the shutdown continues, signaling a tough stance on government spending.
- Trump also indicated plans to cut “Democrat programs,” framing the shutdown as a consequence of political opposition.
- Earlier in the year, the Trump administration laid off thousands of federal employees as part of efficiency and cost-cutting efforts led by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with Elon Musk’s involvement.
