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5h ago

White House Begins Layoffs of About 4,100 Federal Workers Across Seven Departments

Federal unions have sued to halt the reductions, with a judge set to weigh an injunction soon.

Russ Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, wrote on X that 'RIFs have begun.'
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This July 24, 2025, file photo shows Brian Walshe in Plymouth Superior Court for a hearing.
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Overview

  • A Justice Department filing lists initial layoff notices at Treasury 1,446; HHS 1,100–1,200; Education 466; HUD 442; Commerce 315; Energy 187; and DHS 176, with EPA issuing only an intent-to-RIF notice to 20–30 employees.
  • OMB Director Russ Vought declared that “the RIFs have begun,” and officials said additional cuts are possible as agency assessments remain in flux.
  • The White House portrays the reductions as leverage in the shutdown standoff over Affordable Care Act subsidies, and President Trump said many affected roles are “Democrat oriented.”
  • Unions led by AFGE seek emergency court orders to block the firings, while DOJ contends the government has legal authority and that plaintiffs cannot show irreparable harm or proper jurisdiction.
  • Operational effects surfaced at DHS’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and at the IRS’s information technology unit, marking a departure from past shutdowns that relied on temporary furloughs with subsequent back pay.