(MENAFN) The Trump administration has initiated the layoff of thousands of federal employees as a means of pressuring Democrats during the ongoing government shutdown. White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought announced the start of the layoffs on X (formerly Twitter), referring to them as "reductions in force" (RIFs).

A spokesperson confirmed the layoffs had begun and described them as “substantial.” As the day unfolded, it was revealed that over 4,000 workers across seven federal agencies had already received notices. President Donald Trump has long advocated for reducing the federal workforce and had threatened to use the shutdown as an opportunity to further this goal.

Under federal law, agencies are required to provide employees with at least a 30-day notice before issuing layoffs. Following Vought's announcement, agencies such as the Treasury Department and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) confirmed that they were sending out layoff notices. The Department of Homeland Security, which includes many essential workers, also announced layoffs, particularly at its Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

While specifics were not fully detailed, two major unions—the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and AFL-CIO—filed a lawsuit to challenge the legality of these layoffs. The unions called the layoffs an illegal and shameful use of the shutdown as an excuse to terminate essential workers, who they say provide vital services across the nation.

"We are in opposition to this illegal and disgraceful action," said AFGE President Everett Kelley. "It is shameful that the Trump administration has used the government shutdown as an excuse to fire thousands of workers who serve our communities."

As the shutdown continues, the government’s lawyers argued that the unions failed to prove the layoffs would cause irreparable harm, which would be necessary for the court to issue a temporary restraining order. They emphasized that such an order would undermine the government's ability to make decisions about how to organize its workforce during the shutdown.

The shutdown has already resulted in significant disruptions. While furloughed workers are expected to receive back pay once the government reopens, there are concerns that this may not happen in this case. The ongoing shutdown, which has lasted for 10 days so far, has affected approximately 750,000 federal employees, or around 40% of the federal workforce.

The cuts are unprecedented in the history of U.S. government shutdowns. Unlike past shutdowns, which saw furloughed employees return to work with retroactive pay once a deal was reached, this shutdown may set a new precedent for reductions in federal jobs. The Trump administration has used this opportunity to push its long-term goal of reducing the size of the federal workforce, with significant cuts already made since Trump took office in January 2025.

Vought has been particularly focused on reducing the federal workforce, a goal that has been supported by the Trump administration. Through a combination of layoffs, buyouts, and other measures, the federal workforce has already been reduced by around 200,000 employees, according to the Partnership for Public Service.

Before the shutdown began, Vought’s office had instructed federal agencies to prepare plans for reductions that could affect workers or programs whose funding might expire or those deemed inconsistent with the president’s priorities. Trump also used the shutdown as an opportunity to consider which federal agencies, especially those controlled by Democrats, might be targeted for cuts.

This shutdown has escalated tensions between Democrats and Republicans. While the White House and Republicans blame Democrats for the gridlock, particularly over funding issues like expiring tax credits for health insurance, Democrats have accused Trump of causing deliberate chaos to further his political agenda.

As a result, this shutdown not only threatens federal workers’ jobs but also highlights ongoing partisan tensions over funding and government priorities.

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