As the U.S. federal government shutdown (partial work stoppage) drags on, the Donald Trump administration is expected to lay off at least 4,100 civil servants.
According to U.S. media including Axios and The Hill on the 11th (local time), the Trump administration said in a recent court filing that it plans to cut more than 4,100 staff members at agencies including the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of the Treasury.
Stephen Billy, a senior adviser at the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), said in the filing that reduction in force (RIF) notices have already been sent, or are scheduled to be sent, to 1,100–1,200 employees at the Department of Health and Human Services, 1,446 at the Department of the Treasury, and 466 at the Department of Education.
The Department of Commerce (315), the Department of Energy (187), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) (442), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) (176), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (10–30) were also mentioned as targets for reductions.
This was contained in the government's court response to a lawsuit filed just before the shutdown by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), a federal workers union, demanding a halt to layoffs.
Billy, the senior adviser, said, "The situation related to the funding lapse is fluid and rapidly evolving," adding, "Therefore, these numbers reflect the most up-to-date information currently available and are subject to change."
The previous day, Russell Vought, Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) account, "Reduction in forces (RIFs) have begun."
The American Federation of Government Employees said, "Federal employees are tired of being used as scapegoats for the political and personal gain of leaders, whether elected or appointed," adding, "It is time for Congress to do its job and end the shutdown immediately."
The union's position is that carrying out layoffs during a federal government shutdown is illegal.
President Trump has labeled federal civil servants as the "deep state" (an entrenched group within the federal government) and has carried out sweeping staff cuts since regaining power in January.
Ahead of this shutdown as well, the Trump administration had signaled it would move to cut staff, focusing on departments not aligned with its policy priorities.
Axios predicted that, with more than 200,000 employees already reduced this year alone, the latest cuts would be another blow to the federal workforce.
The number of layoffs triggered by the shutdown could easily exceed 4,100.
Meeting with reporters at the White House the day before, President Trump said, "We will announce the (layoff) number in a few days, and it will be a lot of people."
A senior government official told The Hill, "There will be additional staff cuts."