ADVERTISEMENTs
White House asks for mass firing plans ahead of possible government shutdown
Upon taking office in January, Trump launched a campaign to downsize the 2.4-million-strong federal civilian workforce, which he says is bloated and inefficient.
-
Reuters - Thu, 25, Sep 2025
- 01:55 EDT
- 34
A view shows contrails left behind by airplanes in the sky over the White House, in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 28, 2025. / REUTERS/Brian Snyder/ File Photo
The White House asked federal agencies on Sept. 24 to prepare plans for mass firings during a possible government shutdown next week, marking a sharp departure from the temporary furloughs of workers typically seen during past shutdowns.
The White House's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) sent the memo on Sept. 24 to federal agencies and asked them to identify programs, projects and activities where discretionary funding will lapse on Oct. 1 if the U.S. Congress does not pass legislation to keep the federal government open.
"Programs that did not benefit from an infusion of mandatory appropriations will bear the brunt of a shutdown," the OMB said in the memo, which the White House provided.
It was not immediately clear whether the White House was trying to take advantage of the shutdown to advance President Donald Trump's push to slash the federal workforce, or whether it was a high-stakes negotiating tactic to force Democrats to agree to pass the Republicans' funding legislation.
Agencies were told to submit their proposed reduction-in-force plans to the OMB and to issue notices to employees even if they would otherwise be excepted or furloughed during a lapse in funding.
The OMB memo was earlier reported by Politico.
Trump on Sept. 23 scrapped a meeting with top congressional Democratic leaders to discuss government funding, raising the risk of a partial government shutdown beginning next week. Both Republicans and Democrats have blamed each other for the impasse.
Upon taking office in January, Trump launched a campaign to downsize the 2.4-million-strong federal civilian workforce, which he says is bloated and inefficient.
Roughly 300,000 federal civilian workers will have left their jobs by the end of 2025, Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor told Reuters in August.
About 154,000 of those employees accepted a buyout and are slated to drop off the U.S. government’s payroll on Sept. 30, the last day of the federal government’s fiscal year. That date is also the deadline for Trump and Congress to reach an agreement on federal spending to avert a shutdown.
Related
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
E Paper
ADVERTISEMENT
Video
Comments
Start the conversation
Become a member of New India Abroad to start commenting.
Sign Up Now
Already have an account? Login