White House Announces Start of Major Federal Worker Layoffs Amid Shutdown

Russell Vought, the Office of Management and Budget director, informed reporters in July 2025, signaling the onset of notable staff reductions.

The Trump administration has indicated that significant workforce cuts for federal employees are underway, making strides towards realizing their long-stated goal of reducing government scale amidst the government closure.

Director Vought first communicated the initiation of these reductions through a public announcement that simply stated, 'The RIFs have begun.'

A confirmation from an OMB spokesperson to NPR mentioned that the reduction-in-force program was not only active but involved sizable impacts, although specifics on the number of employees affected were not divulged.

One particular federal body has confirmed the dispatch of job reduction notifications to its staff.

According to a Department of Health and Human Services representative, Andrew Nixon, several HHS staff members across a variety of units have been issued reduction notices, attributing this move to the shutdown guided by Democrats. It was noted that those receiving notices were deemed non-essential in their roles.

In a critique directed at the Biden administration, it was argued that despite former reductions including 20,000 employee cuts, the current situation results from a previously excessive bureaucratic expansion under Biden's term.

The details about specific agencies affected and the actual timeline for these layoffs remain unclear.

According to federal guidelines, the execution of RIFs requires adherence to procedures including a 60-day pre-notification period, or 30 days with authorisation from the Office of Personnel Management.

Prior to the dispatch of official notices, some agencies might be required to inform unions or Congress, ensuring that these notifications comprise explanations and effective timelines.

Various unions have already expressed legal concerns over the looming RIF threats amidst the shutdown, asserting that the administration is unlawfully threatening to dismantle essential services historically maintained by federal employees.

The announcement came just before a judiciary deadline that mandated the federal government to outline any ongoing or upcoming RIF notifications prompted by the shutdown.

Everett Kelley, leader of the American Federation of Government Employees, condemned the decision as improperly using the shutdown as a pretext to dismiss vital workers nationwide.

Throughout the shutdown duration, the administration has consistently intimated possible fiscal cutbacks and personnel dismissals, faulting Democratic demands for maintaining health care subsidies as an obstacle to budget resolution.

Additionally, in its mission to minimize federal presence, the administration has halted transportation funding in major cities like Chicago and New York and rescinded numerous grants for energy projects established during Biden's presidency.

The administration argues the necessity of these government reductions due to the budget impasse, although some experts like Jessica Riedl from the Manhattan Institute highlight that no law mandates substantial layoffs during a temporary shutdown.