WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump okayed cutting thousands of federal jobs across the United States, blaming Democrats for the turmoil. From the Treasury Department to Health and Human Services, from IRS to Homeland Security, agencies confirmed that layoffs are sweeping through the federal government as Trump follows through on his threat to shrink the workforce during the shutdown standoff, now in its 10th day.
Trump made blunt moves, calling the job cuts “Democrat-oriented.” The move marks one of the most aggressive political maneuvers of his presidency, targeting departments long supported by Democrats while millions of Americans brace for the impact.
Around 3Lac federal civilian employees were already slated to leave their positions this year under Trump’s downsizing plan. The president’s decision to accelerate these cuts amid a funding freeze has sent shockwaves through Washington.
Layoffs have already begun at the Treasury Department, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Education, the Commerce Department, and Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity Division. The White House budget office confirmed that the layoffs are “substantial,” though it declined to provide exact numbers.
Republicans hold majorities in both chambers of Congress, but Trump still needs Democratic votes in the Senate to pass a funding measure. Democrats have refused to agree unless the administration renews health-insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, warning that millions of Americans could face soaring premiums without them.
Democrats blasted the president’s mass firings as political retaliation while Justice Department revealed that more than 4,200 federal employees had already received layoff notices across seven agencies, including 1,400 at Treasury and 1,100 at HHS.
Labor unions sued to stop the layoffs, calling them illegal during a government shutdown. The administration responded that the unions lacked the legal authority to interfere with federal personnel decisions. A federal judge is scheduled to hear the case on October 15. Federal law typically requires a 60-day notice for layoffs, but the government can reduce that to 30 days in “extraordinary circumstances.”
The timing of the layoffs could not be worse. On the same day they were announced, hundreds of thousands of federal employees received reduced paychecks, excluding pay for the days since the shutdown began.
