On Day 10 of the US government shutdown, the Trump administration began mass federal layoffs, with OMB chief Russell Vought confirming “substantial” Reductions in Force (RIFs). Agencies like HHS and the Department of Education have started issuing permanent layoff notices to non-essential staff.
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On the 10th day of the ongoing US government shutdown, the Trump administration has officially begun laying off federal workers, a rare and controversial move during a funding lapse. Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought confirmed the action in a post on X, writing, “The RIFs have begun,” referring to Reductions in Force, the formal term for permanent layoffs of federal employees.
Shortly after the post, the OMB confirmed to CNN that “RIFs have begun and are substantial.” While thousands of federal employees have already been furloughed without pay, it is not common practice to issue permanent layoffs during shutdowns.
A White House official reiterated that the layoffs are “substantial” and blamed the Democratic Party for the shutdown, “It will be substantial, and we regret that the Democrats have shut down the government and forced workers to be put in this position,” the official told CNN.
Which Agencies Are Affected?
Layoff notices are reportedly being issued across multiple government departments.
Health and Human Services (HHS):
An HHS spokesperson confirmed that reduction-in-force notices have gone out to employees deemed “non-essential” during the shutdown. “All HHS employees receiving reduction-in-force notices were designated non-essential by their respective divisions,” the agency said in a statement.
Department of Education:
A spokesperson said that “some” Education Department staff would be impacted by the layoffs but declined to provide exact numbers or timelines. The department had already cut nearly 50% of its workforce in March during earlier budget reductions.