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Trump administration says firings of government workers has begun Trump administration says firings of government workers has begun
(32 minutes later)
Donald Trump's budget chief Russell VoughtDonald Trump's budget chief Russell Vought
The Trump administration says it has started laying off federal workers, as the government shutdown battle continues. The Trump administration has said it has started laying off federal workers, as the government shutdown battle continues.
"The RIFs have begun," Russell Vought, the director of the Office of Managment and Budget, wrote on X."The RIFs have begun," Russell Vought, the director of the Office of Managment and Budget, wrote on X.
RIF, which stands for "reduction in force", is a mechanism that the administration can use to lay off federal workers. The Trump administration had threatened to would use this power if the Democrats forced a government shutdown. The Trump administration had threatened to use the government shutdown to issue RIFs, which stands for "reduction in force", to lay off thousands of federal workers.
An OMB spokesperson confirmed the cuts had started and "are substantial" but did not provide specific number of employees set to be fired.An OMB spokesperson confirmed the cuts had started and "are substantial" but did not provide specific number of employees set to be fired.
The American Federation of Government Employees union condemned the planned firings and called to end the shutdown.
"It is disgraceful that the Trump administration has used the government shutdown as an excuse to illegally fire thousands of workers who provide critical services to communities across the country," AFGE president Everett Kelley said in a statement.
"Federal workers are tired of being used as pawns for the political and personal gains of the elected and un-elected leaders," Mr Kelley said. "It's time for Congress to do their jobs and negotiate an end to this shutdown immediately."
The US government shutdown began ten days ago, after lawmakers could not reach a deal on a funding measure to keep the government open.
Significantly culling the federal workforce has been a long-term priority for Vought. The president and his budget chief have made no secret that they would use the unique opportunity provided to them by a government shutdown to make further firings.
On 2 October, Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that he had met with Vought "to determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a political SCAM, he recommends to be cut, and whether or not those cuts will be temporary or permanent."