On October 10, 2025, the Trump administration confirmed it has begun "substantial" layoffs of federal workers, moving beyond typical furloughs to permanent job cuts amid a government shutdown now in its tenth day.
White House Budget Director Russell Vought announced the policy shift on social media, stating that "RIFs have begun," using the acronym for Reduction in Force. A spokesperson for the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) confirmed the layoffs had started and described them as "substantial". While the administration did not immediately provide specific numbers, the layoffs are known to affect a wide range of agencies, including the Departments of Homeland Security, Education, Energy, Treasury, and Health and Human Services, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency. A Department of Health and Human Services spokesman stated the cuts there targeted a "bloated bureaucracy".
The move was met with immediate condemnation and legal challenges. Democratic leaders argued the layoffs are an unnecessary and illegal escalation. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stated the administration is "callously choosing to hurt people" and creating "deliberate chaos". The action also drew criticism from within the President's own party, with Republican Senator Susan Collins stating she "strongly oppose[s]" the layoffs, which she said "cause harm to families". Federal employee unions declared the mass firings illegal and immediately pursued legal action to stop them.
The layoffs represent a significant escalation in the ongoing government shutdown, which began after Congress failed to pass a funding deal by the September 30 deadline. The administration has framed the shutdown as an opportunity to implement permanent cuts to the federal workforce and programs. President Trump had previously telegraphed this strategy, stating he would give Democrats a "little taste of their own medicine" by cutting "very popular Democrat programs". This approach is in line with Director Vought's long-stated goal of shrinking the federal bureaucracy.
Despite the widespread layoffs and shutdown, the administration is making selective exceptions for critical functions. The Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is bringing staff back to work to release the Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, which was originally delayed by the shutdown. This data is essential for the Social Security Administration to calculate annual cost-of-living adjustments by a November 1 statutory deadline. Other key data, including the nonfarm payroll report, remains suspended. The Smithsonian museums and National Zoo are also closing due to the funding lapse.