The White House announced on Friday that it had commenced mass layoffs of federal employees as President Donald Trump intensified pressure on opposition Democrats to end a government shutdown that has severely disrupted public services.
With the standoff entering its third week and no resolution in sight, Trump’s budget chief, Russ Vought, revealed via social media that the administration had begun implementing plans to dismiss portions of the 750,000 federal workers who have been on enforced leave since the shutdown began.
The Office of Management and Budget, led by Vought, confirmed to AFP that the layoffs would be “substantial,” though it provided no details on the exact number of workers affected or which agencies would face the deepest cuts.
President Trump has repeatedly described the cutbacks as a necessary measure to increase pressure on Democrats. He stated last week that he was consulting with Vought to decide which of “the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a political SCAM,” should face termination.
Democratic leaders have strongly condemned the move, describing it as politically motivated and illegal. Senator Patty Murray, the party’s lead negotiator on government funding, said, “A shutdown does not give Trump or Vought new, special powers to cause more chaos or permanently weaken more basic services for the American people, and the simple fact is this administration has been recklessly firing and rehiring essential workers all year.”
“This is nothing new, and no one should be intimidated by these crooks,” Murray added.
A U.S. Treasury spokesperson told AFP that the department had begun issuing layoff notices, while the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed it had started terminating nonessential staff “as a direct consequence of the Democrat-led government shutdown.”
Education Department insiders also indicated that staff reductions had begun, reflecting the widespread impact across federal institutions.
Those still employed have not been spared hardship, as they continue to work without pay while the budget impasse drags on. The crisis is expected to persist into at least the middle of next week, meaning roughly 1.3 million active-duty military personnel will miss their upcoming paychecks, a first in modern U.S. history.
“We’re not in a good mood here in the Capitol; it’s a somber day,” Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said during a press briefing marking the 10th day of the shutdown.
Tensions between the two major parties have escalated sharply. A heated exchange erupted between Johnson and Democratic senators earlier in the week, followed by another confrontation after a House Democratic leadership press conference, when Republican Congressman Mike Lawler taunted House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Jeffries responded by telling Lawler to “keep your mouth shut,” later labeling the congressman a “malignant clown.”
Government operations halted after Congress failed to meet the September 30 funding deadline. Senate Democrats have consistently blocked a Republican proposal to reopen agencies, citing objections to language in the bill that would remove health insurance subsidies currently benefiting 24 million Americans.
With no breakthrough imminent, lawmakers have been urging President Trump to take a more active role in negotiations. However, his attention has largely shifted to international and domestic security priorities, including brokering a Gaza ceasefire and deploying troops to support his immigration crackdown in Democratic-led cities such as Chicago and Portland.
“The American people are sick and tired of the chaos, crisis and confusion that has been visited upon the country by Donald Trump and Republican complete control of Congress,” Jeffries declared during a separate news conference.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that it would postpone the release of key inflation data initially scheduled for next week until October 24, citing disruptions caused by the shutdown. The agency added that the consumer price index figures would still be released in time to enable the Social Security Administration to “ensure the accurate and timely payment of benefits.”
What you should know
The U.S. government shutdown, now in its third week, has forced mass layoffs and halted essential services.
President Donald Trump’s administration blames Democrats, while critics accuse him of weaponizing the crisis. The shutdown’s fallout has delayed economic data releases and jeopardized pay for over a million federal workers.
