WASHINGTON: The White House has directed federal agencies to prepare for mass layoffs as President Donald Trump’s administration escalates a standoff with congressional Democrats over a possible government shutdown.
In a memo, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) warned that the administration would go beyond the temporary furloughs seen in previous shutdowns.
Trump is locked in a funding clash with Democrats ahead of a September 30 fiscal deadline. Failure to reach a deal would trigger a fresh political crisis in Washington.
The OMB memo said agencies had been “directed to use this opportunity to consider Reduction in Force (RIF) notices for all employees” in departments most exposed to a shutdown. It ordered agencies to submit staff reduction plans and notify workers.
The “reduction in force” term echoed language used earlier this year when the Trump administration carried out large-scale layoffs under Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
The White House accused Democrats of making a “series of insane demands” and breaking a decade-long practice of bipartisan agreements to avoid shutdowns at the same time each year.
“We remain hopeful Democrats in Congress will not trigger a shutdown and the steps outlined above will not be necessary,” the OMB memo added.
‘Get lost’
Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries dismissed the warning, telling the White House to “get lost.”
“We will not be intimidated by your threat to engage in mass firings,” Jeffries posted on X, calling OMB chief Russ Vought a “malignant political hack.”
A shutdown would halt non-essential government operations and leave hundreds of thousands of civil servants without pay.
Shutdown battles have become a recurring feature in US politics under both Republican and Democratic administrations, reflecting Washington’s deep polarization.
The Senate last week rejected a stopgap funding bill passed by the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, which had sought to avert a shutdown.
Trump responded by cancelling a meeting with Democratic leaders, saying he would not return to the table until they “become realistic” in their demands.
With Congress in recess this week and senators not returning until Monday, the window to keep the government funded after the fiscal year ends is closing fast.
Republicans hold a narrow majority in both chambers but still need Democratic support in the Senate due to procedural rules.
House Republicans warned Friday their members would not return before the deadline, forcing the Senate to either approve their bill or risk a shutdown.
The measure, even if passed, would only keep federal agencies funded until November 21.
The US last faced a shutdown in March, when Republicans refused talks with Democrats over Trump’s sweeping budget cuts and the dismissal of thousands of federal employees.