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Massive Layoffs Across Federal Agencies Amid Ongoing Government Shutdown
Russ Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, announced on social media that substantial reductions in force, known as RIFs, have begun across federal agencies amid the ongoing government shutdown. According to LAist reports, Vought posted on X stating the RIFs have begun, with an OMB spokesperson confirming to NPR that the process is underway and affects a significant number of employees, though exact figures remain fluid. Agencies hit include the Department of Health and Human Services with one thousand one hundred to one thousand two hundred employees, the Department of Education with four hundred sixty six, Commerce with three hundred fifteen, Energy with one hundred eighty seven, and Homeland Security with one hundred seventy six.
Unions like the American Federation of Government Employees strongly oppose the moves, calling them illegal and harmful to essential services. AFGE National President Everett Kelley described it as disgraceful for using the shutdown to fire workers who protect the country and respond to disasters. Senator Susan Collins also criticized Vought, opposing permanent layoffs of furloughed federal workers during what she called an unnecessary shutdown caused by Democrats.
In related tensions, congressional Democrats accused Vought and the Trump administration of overstepping by directing NASA to prepare shutdown plans for key climate satellites like the Orbiting Carbon Observatory missions, despite Congress funding them through fiscal year twenty twenty five. Representative Zoe Lofgren stated Congress holds the power of the purse, not Trump or Vought, and called the actions illegal. LAist cited NASA employees confirming orders to develop termination plans tied to the proposed fiscal year twenty twenty six budget, though OMB denied involvement.
These developments fuel shutdown debates, with Republicans blaming Democrats for refusing to reopen government without health insurance subsidy extensions, while Democrats see it as a deliberate push to shrink federal bureaucracy. Court orders have paused some RIFs, with hearings pending.
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