WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump on Friday blamed Democrats for forcing his hand as his administration began laying off thousands of U.S. government employees amid the ongoing shutdown.
Thousands face layoffs
The sweeping cuts affected several major agencies, including the Treasury Department, the Department of Health and Human Services, the IRS, and the Departments of Education, Commerce, and Homeland Security’s cybersecurity division.
Officials confirmed that more than 4,200 federal workers had already received layoff notices. Of those, around 1,400 were at Treasury and 1,100 at Health and Human Services. In total, about 300,000 civilian employees were already slated for removal this year under Trump’s broader downsizing plan.
Trump points finger at Democrats
“They started this thing,” Trump said from the Oval Office, calling the cuts “Democrat-oriented.” He accused Democrats of prolonging the standoff by refusing to approve a government funding bill.
The shutdown, now in its tenth day, began after Democrats demanded an extension of health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. They argue that ending those subsidies would cause health costs to skyrocket for more than 24 million Americans.
Funds frozen for key states
Trump has also frozen $28 billion in infrastructure funds for New York, California, and Illinois — all Democratic strongholds — as pressure builds in Washington. Republicans currently control both chambers of Congress but still need Democratic votes in the Senate to reopen the government.
Legal battles ahead
Labor unions representing federal employees have filed lawsuits to stop the layoffs, calling them unlawful during a shutdown. The administration has countered that unions lack the legal authority to challenge those actions. A federal judge will hear the case on October 15.
Meanwhile, White House budget director Russell Vought confirmed that “reductions in force” — or RIFs — had already begun. Many affected workers received partial paychecks this week that excluded shutdown days.
