New York [US], October 11: On October 10, President Donald Trump's administration announced the start of mass layoffs of federal employees, while the US government continued to shut down because Congress had not reached an agreement on the budget."RIFs have begun," White House Budget Director Russ Vought announced on social media about the decision to lay off federal employees , where RIF stands for downsizing.
While Mr. Vought did not provide details about the announcement, a spokesperson for the White House Office of Management and Budget confirmed to NBC News that the layoffs were underway and would be "large-scale."
Agencies affected include the departments of the Interior, Homeland Security, Treasury, Education, Energy, Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), according to a government official.
Spokespeople for some of the ministries mentioned above confirmed that they had sent out layoff notices on October 10 (local time), but refused to disclose the specific number of employees affected.
Democrats responded immediately, saying the government shutdown does not mean President Trump has to fire federal employees, or give him new powers to do so. Democrats called the move a retaliation by the White House.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesman said the layoffs at the department focused on the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Health and Human Services spokesman Andrew Nixon said the department's staff reductions focused on efforts to address "bloated bureaucracy" under the Biden administration.
Major unions have questioned the legality of the White House's move and threatened to sue. The AFL-CIO wrote on X: "American unions will see you in court."
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
