Trump blames Democrats as federal layoffs begin amid shutdown standoff

President Donald Trump on Friday blamed Democrats for thousands of layoffs across the US government as his administration began implementing sweeping job cuts during the ongoing government shutdown.

Layoffs were reported at the Treasury Department, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the departments of Education, Commerce, and Homeland Security’s cybersecurity division. The full scope of the cuts remains unclear, but around 300,000 federal civilian workers were already slated to leave this year as part of Trump’s earlier downsizing drive.

“They started this thing,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, describing the job cuts as “Democrat-oriented.”

Although Republicans control both chambers of Congress, Trump needs Democratic support in the Senate to pass a funding measure to reopen the government. Democrats have refused to agree unless health-insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are extended, arguing that millions of Americans would otherwise face soaring medical costs.

The shutdown — now in its tenth day — has prompted Trump to repeatedly threaten mass firings, particularly in agencies traditionally backed by Democrats. On Friday, the administration also froze $28 billion in infrastructure funds for New York, California, and Illinois, states that are home to large Democratic constituencies and some of Trump’s fiercest critics.

According to a Justice Department filing, more than 4,200 employees across seven federal agencies have received layoff notices — including over 1,400 at Treasury and at least 1,100 at HHS. Labor unions representing government workers have sued to block the move, calling the layoffs illegal during a shutdown. The administration countered that the unions have no standing to challenge federal personnel decisions. A court hearing is set for October 15.

Democrats accused Trump of weaponizing the shutdown for political gain. “Until Republicans get serious, they own this — every job lost, every family hurt, every service gutted,” said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer.

Even some Republicans expressed unease. Senator Susan Collins, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, said, “Regardless of whether federal employees have been working without pay or have been furloughed, their work is incredibly important to serving the public.”

White House budget director Russell Vought confirmed on social media that “the RIFs had begun” — referring to “reductions in force.” An administration spokesperson described the cuts as “substantial” but declined to elaborate.

The layoffs coincided with the day many federal employees were set to receive reduced or no paychecks. Hundreds of thousands have been furloughed, while others continue working without pay. Active-duty military personnel — roughly two million nationwide — are expected to miss their October 15 paychecks if the shutdown continues.

At HHS, 41% of the 78,000 employees have been furloughed, and layoffs have begun among those already ordered not to report to work, said department spokesperson Andrew Nixon. The Treasury Department is also issuing layoff notices, with union officials reporting around 1,300 expected job cuts there — many affecting the IRS, which has faced steep reductions this year.

Additional layoffs are occurring at the Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Education, and Commerce. Other outlets reported cuts at the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy, and the Department of the Interior, though officials there did not respond to requests for comment.

Within Homeland Security, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency — which clashed with Trump after the 2020 election for rejecting his claims of voter fraud — is also facing layoffs. The Departments of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration are not expected to be affected.