Firing of federal workers underway as shutdown drags on, White House budget chief announces

Originally Published: 10 OCT 25 13:08 ET

By Annie Grayer, Tami Luhby, Alayna Treene, CNN

(CNN) — Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought announced on Friday that the government has started firing federal workers as the government shutdown drags on.

The Trump administration had initially promised to swiftly roll out mass layoffs of federal workers at the start of the government’s lapse in funding, but then – as CNN reported – appeared to shift strategy, holding off on doing so a bit longer as an increasing number of Republican lawmakers and Trump administration officials acknowledged the potential political perils of the move.

But, on Friday, the White House budget chief posted on X: “The RIFs have begun.”

It was not immediately clear how many federal workers had received RIF – or reduction in force – notices, but an OMB spokesperson told CNN the layoffs were “substantial.”

CNN has reached out to federal employee unions for comment.

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