Over 4,000 federal workers just got the pink slip as the government shutdown drags on, courtesy of a bold move by the Trump administration.
The New York Post reported that on Friday, the Trump administration revealed in a court filing that thousands of employees across multiple agencies were let go due to a persistent funding lapse, while labor unions scramble to fight back with a lawsuit in California.
This shutdown, now in its 10th day as of last Friday, has hit hard, with the Treasury Department axing around 1,446 jobs and the Department of Health and Human Services slashing up to 1,200 positions.
Other agencies weren’t spared either—Education dropped 466, Housing and Urban Development cut 442, Commerce trimmed 315, Energy reduced 187, and Homeland Security let go of 176 workers.
Even niche corners like the United States Patent and Trademark Office sent out reduction notices to 126 employees earlier this month, while the Environmental Protection Agency warned 20 to 30 staffers of potential future cuts.
White House budget director Russ Vought didn’t mince words, posting on X, “The RIFs have begun,” signaling that these job losses are no idle threat but a grim reality after Senate Democrats blocked a temporary funding fix.
Now, federal employee unions are pushing back, filing a suit in the Northern District of California to halt this downsizing during the budget deadlock, with a hearing set for next Thursday under Judge Susan Illston.
The Trump administration, however, isn’t budging, arguing in court that these reduction-in-force notices come with a mandatory 30- or 60-day buffer before final separations, so there’s no need for an emergency block on the layoffs.
Justice Department filings even claim, “Plaintiffs fail to establish irreparable harm,” suggesting the unions are overreacting since any job loss pain is weeks or months away—if it happens at all. But tell that to the thousands already packing up their desks; this sounds like bureaucratic sidestepping at its finest.
More cuts could be looming, as other agencies have signaled an “intent to RIF” and are mulling over which offices might face the chopping block next, per court documents.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, under Homeland Security, is reportedly planning to slash up to 2,540 jobs and furlough 65% of its staff, which raises serious questions about national security priorities during a funding crisis.
Justice Department papers also note, “Other Defendant agencies have made predecisional assessments regarding offices and subdivisions that may be considered for potential RIFs based on the criteria outlined in the OPM Lapse Email.”
If that’s not a warning of more pain ahead, what is? This vague legalese hardly inspires confidence that the bleeding will stop soon.
Let’s be real—while fiscal responsibility is a cornerstone of conservative values, these layoffs sting for hardworking Americans who just want to serve their country, not become pawns in a political chess game.
Yet, with Senate Democrats refusing to budge on a stopgap funding bill, the Trump administration seems left with little choice but to trim the fat in a bloated bureaucracy—though one wonders if national security and essential services should ever be the first to go under the knife.
