President Donald Trump on Friday attributed his decision to lay off thousands of workers across the U.S. government to the actions of Democrats, as he enacted his threat to reduce the federal workforce amid the government shutdown. Job cuts were occurring at the Treasury Department, the U.S. health agency, the Internal Revenue Service, and the departments of education, commerce, and Homeland Security’s cybersecurity division, according to spokespeople, though the total extent of the layoffs was not immediately clear. Approximately 300,000 federal civilian employees were poised to exit their positions this year as a result of a downsizing initiative launched earlier in the year by Trump. “They initiated this situation,” Trump informed reporters at an event in the Oval Office, labeling the job reductions as “Democrat-oriented.” Trump’s Republicans maintain majorities in both chambers of Congress; however, they require Democratic support in the U.S. Senate to advance any legislation aimed at funding the government. Democrats are advocating for an extension of health-insurance subsidies, contending that health costs will rise significantly for a substantial portion of the 24 million Americans who obtain their coverage via the Affordable Care Act.

Trump has consistently indicated the possibility of terminating federal employees amid the ongoing shutdown, which reached its 10th day on Friday, and has implied that his administration will focus primarily on sectors of the government supported by Democrats. Trump has also mandated the freezing of at least $28 billion in infrastructure funds designated for New York, California, and Illinois—states that host substantial populations of Democratic voters and critics of the administration. The Justice Department indicated in a court filing that over 4,200 federal employees received layoff notices across seven agencies, with more than 1,400 at the Treasury Department and at least 1,100 at the Department of Health and Human Services. Democrats have asserted their intention to resist the pressure tactics employed by Trump. “Until Republicans get serious, they own this – every job lost, every family hurt, every service gutted is because of their decisions,” stated Chuck Schumer. Labor unions that represent federal employees have initiated legal action to prevent the layoffs, arguing that such actions would be unlawful amid a government shutdown. The administration asserted in a court filing on Friday that the unions’ request ought to be rejected on the grounds that they do not possess the legal standing to litigate federal personnel matters. The law mandates that the government provide workers with a 60-day notice prior to any layoffs, although this period can be reduced to 30 days under certain circumstances.

Opposition to the layoffs has emerged from certain Republicans, notably Senator Susan Collins, who serves as the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “Regardless of whether federal employees have been working without pay or have been furloughed, their work is incredibly important to serving the public,” Collins stated. Earlier in the day, Russell Vought stated on social media that: “The RIFs had begun,” referring to so-called reductions in force. A representative from the budget office described the reductions as “substantial,” yet did not provide additional information. The announcement coincided with the date when numerous federal employees were set to receive diminished paychecks, which excluded compensation for the days following the onset of the shutdown. Hundreds of thousands have received directives to refrain from reporting to work, while others have been instructed to continue their duties without compensation. The nation’s 2 million active-duty troops stand to forfeit their paycheck scheduled for October 15 if the shutdown remains unresolved by that date. Layoff notices have been issued to employees in various divisions of the Department of Health and Human Services, as stated by communications director Andrew Nixon. The 78,000 employees at the extensive agency oversee disease outbreaks, finance medical research, and carry out a diverse array of other health-related responsibilities. Nixon indicated that the layoffs were specifically aimed at agency personnel who have received directives to refrain from work, yet he refrained from offering additional specifics. Approximately 41% of agency personnel have been placed on furlough.

According to a spokesperson who requested anonymity, layoffs have commenced at the Treasury Department. A labor union official, Thomas Huddleston of the American Federation of Government Employees, stated in a court filing that he had received information indicating that Treasury was preparing 1,300 layoff notices. The layoffs may adversely affect the tax-collecting Internal Revenue Service, which is facing significant job reductions this year. Approximately 46% of the agency’s 78,000 employees were placed on furlough on Wednesday. The union reported that layoffs have commenced at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Officials have also confirmed reductions in staffing at the Education Department, which Trump has pledged to eliminate entirely, as well as at the Commerce Department, responsible for weather forecasting, economic data reports, and various other functions. Various media sources have indicated that layoffs have occurred at the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Interior. Representatives from those agencies have yet to provide a response to inquiries for comment. The Department of Homeland Security announced that layoffs are occurring at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which faced criticism from Trump following the 2020 election when its director stated there was no evidence of compromised voting systems. Trump asserts, without evidence, that his defeat in the election to Democrat Joe Biden was a result of voter fraud. A source indicates that the Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration remain unaffected.