(MENAFN) The Trump administration confirmed Friday that it has initiated federal employee layoffs, marking a dramatic escalation as the U.S. government shutdown entered its 10th day.

In a brief post on social media platform X, White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought announced, “The RIFs have begun,” using the acronym for “Reduction in Force.” No additional details were provided regarding how many workers were affected or which agencies were targeted.

However, U.S. media reports suggest the layoffs may be sweeping, with significant impacts anticipated across key agencies including the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Health and Human Services, and the Treasury Department.

Throughout the standoff, President Donald Trump and senior White House officials warned that layoffs would be an inevitable consequence of a shutdown. They have repeatedly blamed Democrats for the ongoing funding impasse. Democratic leaders, in turn, accused Republicans of exploiting federal workers as leverage in a political battle, describing the move as coercive and unjust.

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the largest federal employee union representing about 800,000 workers, reposted Vought’s message and responded, “The lawsuit has been filed.”

“It is disgraceful that the Trump administration has used the government shutdown as an excuse to illegally fire thousands of workers who provide critical services to communities across the country,” said AFGE National President Everett Kelley.

“Federal workers are tired of being used as pawns for the political and personal gains of the elected and un-elected leaders. It's time for Congress to do their jobs and negotiate an end to this shutdown immediately,” Kelley added.

The shutdown shows no sign of resolution. On Thursday, the U.S. Senate failed to pass a stopgap funding bill. Republican lawmakers pushed for a "clean" temporary measure, while Democrats sought to include expanded healthcare provisions, leaving both sides at a stalemate.

Under normal shutdown conditions, federal employees in essential roles continue working without pay, while hundreds of thousands of others are furloughed. Workers are typically granted retroactive pay once the government resumes operations. But U.S. media noted that permanently terminating federal employees during a shutdown is a sharp break from past precedent.

MENAFN11102025000045017169ID1110181051