What happens when a political standoff turns into a pink-slip parade?
The Trump administration has begun laying off thousands of federal employees.
Critics say it is weaponizing the government shutdown to pressure Democrats.
“The RIFs have begun,” declared White House budget chief Russell Vought on X, using the bureaucratic term for “reductions in force.”
His office later confirmed the cuts were “substantial,” with over 4,000 workers across seven agencies already affected.
The Treasury Department and Health and Human Services are seeing the biggest hits.
Smaller cuts target Education, Housing, and even Homeland Security’s cybersecurity unit.
Unions Condemn Layoffs As Political Move
“They held off for 10 days,” said Republican Senator John Thune, “but at some point, decisions had to be made.”
Unions immediately struck back, calling the layoffs “illegal” and demanding a federal judge block them.
“It’s disgraceful,” said AFGE president Everett Kelley.
He accused the administration of exploiting the shutdown to fire public servants who “keep communities running.”
The Trump team, however, argues it’s about efficiency — trimming what it calls “Democrat agencies” and bloated bureaucracy.
Past shutdowns sent workers home temporarily.
This one? It’s rewriting the playbook.
For 750,000 federal employees wondering if their paychecks will ever return, politics has rarely felt so personal.
