Amid the ongoing government shutdown in the US, the Trump administration has begun laying off thousands of federal government employees to pressure Democrats.
Russell Vought, director of the White House Office of Management, announced in a post on X, "RIFs have begun." RIFs mean 'workforce reductions.'
A spokesperson for Russell Vought's office confirmed that the layoffs had begun, and that they were "significant."
Later on Friday, it was revealed that the administration had begun eliminating more than 4,000 employees across seven agencies.
The total number of affected workers remains unclear, but roughly 3 lakh federal civilian employees had already been slated to leave their jobs this year as part of a downsizing drive launched by Trump earlier in 2025.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that he wants to use the shutdown to achieve his long-standing goal of reducing the federal workforce.
Under US law, the federal government must provide at least 30 days' notice before firing its employees.
In the US, the Senate failed to reach a consensus on government spending, and the related bill failed to pass. This led to a shutdown in the US.
Both Democrats and Republicans are blaming each other for the shutdown. During a shutdown, thousands of government employees are sent on unpaid leave.
Democrats push for an extension of health insurance subsidies
The government has been shut down as Democrats push for an extension of health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, arguing that ending them would sharply raise costs for 24 million Americans. Republicans hold majorities in both chambers of Congress but require Democratic support in the Senate to pass any funding measure.
Trump has repeatedly warned that his administration would reduce the size of government if the deadlock continued. He also froze at least $28 billion in infrastructure funds for New York, California, and Illinois — states with large Democratic voter bases.
According to a Justice Department filing, more than 4,200 federal employees have received layoff notices at seven agencies, including over 1,400 at the Treasury Department and at least 1,100 at the Department of Health and Human Services.
Democrats, however, vowed not to yield. “Until Republicans get serious, they own this — every job lost, every family hurt, every service gutted is because of their decisions,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said.
Labor unions representing federal workers have filed lawsuits to block the layoffs, arguing they are illegal during a shutdown. The administration countered in court that unions lack the legal authority to challenge personnel decisions. A federal judge is scheduled to hear the case on October 15.