WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump on Friday pointed fingers at Democrats after following through on his threat to cut thousands of federal jobs during the ongoing government shutdown.
Across the country, workers from major government departments — including Treasury, Health, Education, Commerce, and even Homeland Security’s cybersecurity division — began receiving layoff notices. The full scale of the job cuts remains unclear, but early reports suggest thousands are already affected.
“They started this thing,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, calling the layoffs “Democrat-oriented.”
The president’s move marks one of the most significant workforce reductions in recent years. Around 300,000 federal civilian workers had already been marked for downsizing earlier this year under Trump’s cost-cutting campaign.
The Blame Game in Washington
While Republicans control both chambers of Congress, Trump needs Democratic support in the Senate to pass any budget that would reopen the government. But Democrats are standing their ground, insisting on an extension of health-insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act — a lifeline for 24 million Americans.
The standoff has now stretched into its 10th day, with no end in sight.
In a controversial move, Trump also froze $28 billion in infrastructure funds for New York, California, and Illinois — states known for their Democratic leadership and vocal opposition to his administration.
According to court filings, more than 4,200 federal employees across seven agencies have already received layoff notices — including over 1,400 at the Treasury Department and 1,100 at Health and Human Services.
Democrats Push Back Hard
Democratic leaders are refusing to yield.
“Until Republicans get serious, they own this — every job lost, every family hurt, every service gutted,” said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer.
Labor unions have filed lawsuits to block the layoffs, calling them illegal during a shutdown. The White House, however, argues that unions have no legal grounds to intervene in federal personnel decisions. A federal judge is set to hear the case on October 15.
Some Republicans, too, have expressed discomfort. Senator Susan Collins, chair of 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.”
Federal Families on Edge
Inside the agencies, the atmosphere is tense.
White House budget director Russell Vought confirmed on social media that “the RIFs had begun” — referring to “reductions in force.” Officials described the cuts as “substantial.”
Many government employees are now facing reduced or missing paychecks, with active-duty troops among those who could go unpaid if the shutdown continues.
At the Department of Health and Human Services, layoff letters have already landed in inboxes. Nearly half of its 78,000 employees have been furloughed, and those still working are left uncertain about what comes next.
At the Treasury Department, 1,300 layoffs are reportedly in motion — heavily affecting the Internal Revenue Service. Similar stories are emerging from the Departments of Housing, Education, and Commerce. Even the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy are seeing cuts.
Perhaps most alarming — job losses have also begun at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which Trump previously targeted after it debunked his false claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election.
The Human Cost of a Political Standoff
As Washington’s political blame game drags on, the human toll deepens. Thousands of American families are waking up to uncertainty — their paychecks frozen, their livelihoods hanging in the balance.
For now, there’s only one certainty: the shutdown continues, and the divide in Washington grows deeper by the day.
