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If the government shuts down on oct. 1, the White House said it will look for ways to use the funding dispute to permanently eliminate some federal workers, rather than just temporarily send them home on unpaid leave.
White House Plans Potential Layoffs During Government Shutdown, Citing Trump’s Priorities
This proposed “reduction in force” – outlined in a memo obtained by NPR on Wednesday – would be a significant shift from past government shutdowns, when employees have been temporarily furloughed until a budget deal is reached.
The White House Office of Management and Budget told agency heads that a funding lapse would give the administration the chance to issue “reduction in force” (RIF) notices to people who work on programs that are “not consistent with the president’s priorities.” The plans were first reported by Politico.
It’s the latest push by President Trump’s budget director, Russell Vought, to aggressively cut government programs created and funded by Congress, including foreign aid, spending on electric vehicle charging stations and funding for the Corporation for public Broadcasting. Vought has argued that presidents – rather than Congress – have considerable power to control more spending. Democrats and the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) have disagreed.
House Republicans have passed a bill that would fund the government at current levels through Nov. 21. But in the senate, where 60 votes are required to pass the bill, Democrats have insisted on adding a number of measures, including subsidies for Affordable Care Act insurance premiums. They are set to expire, hitting Americans who buy insurance on the Obamacare exchanges with shocking price increases this year.
Schumer calls the memo ‘an attempt at intimidation’
Democratic leaders had been set to sit down with Trump on Thursday to talk about the issues,but Trump canceled the meeting,saying Democrats were making “unserious and ri
Trump Administration Plans Layoff Notices for Federal Workers Amid Budget Impasse
The Trump administration is planning to issue layoff notices to an unspecified number of federal employees as negotiations with Congress over government funding continue to stall. This move, a departure from previous approaches during funding disputes, has drawn sharp criticism from Congressional Democrats, who accuse the administration of intimidation tactics.
Background: The Funding Dispute
the current impasse centers around funding for various government agencies. While a six-month spending bill was passed in March to avert a shutdown, https://www.npr.org/2025/03/13/g-s1-53495/senate-democrats-funding-bill-government-shutdown disagreements remain regarding specific funding allocations. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., characterized the layoff notice plan as “an attempt at intimidation” and asserted it was unrelated to genuine funding needs.
Schumer also pointed out the potential futility of the move, stating, “These needless firings will either be overturned in court or the administration will end up hiring the workers back, just like they did as recently as today.”
A Shift in Strategy
This approach represents a change from the Trump administration’s handling of the 35-day government shutdown in 2018-2019, the longest in U.S. history. During that shutdown, triggered by a dispute over funding for a border wall, the administration prioritized keeping as much of the government operational as possible and pledged back pay to furloughed employees. https://www.history.com/news/government-shutdown-2018-2019-longest-in-history
The decision to issue layoff notices suggests a more aggressive strategy aimed at increasing pressure on Congress. The exact number of employees who could be affected remains unclear.
Democratic Response and Political Pressure
Congressional Democrats face significant pressure from their constituents to resist the administration’s demands. The passage of the six-month spending bill in March was already a point of contention for some, and this new development is highly likely to intensify the opposition.
At the time of the March bill’s passage, Schumer argued that a full shutdown would give the trump administration undue control over which government functions would be restored, potentially allowing for politically motivated decisions.
Key Takeaways
* the Trump administration is planning to issue layoff notices to federal workers as part of a strategy to pressure Congress during budget negotiations.
* This approach is a departure from the administration’s handling of the 2018-2019 shutdown, where efforts were made to minimize disruption.
* Democrats are criticizing the move as intimidation and are facing pressure from their base to take a firm stance.
* The number of employees potentially affected by the layoffs is currently unknown.
Looking Ahead
The situation remains fluid, and the outcome of the budget negotiations is uncertain. The issuance of layoff notices could escalate the conflict and potentially lead to further disruptions in government services. It remains to be seen whether this strategy will compel Congress to yield to the administration’s demands or further solidify Democratic opposition.