White House OMB orders agencies to prep for mass firings (RIFs) of federal workers ahead of the shutdown deadline, dramatically escalating the budget standoff.
With a looming government shutdown deadline of Tuesday, September 30, the White House has dramatically raised the stakes in the budget standoff by instructing federal agencies to prepare for mass layoffs, a stark departure from the typical temporary furloughs seen in past funding lapses.
In a late-night memo on Wednesday, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directed agencies to draft plans for a “reduction in force” (RIF)—the official term for permanent layoffs for employees in programmes that lose funding and are deemed “not consistent with the President’s priorities”.
The unprecedented move transforms a potential shutdown from a temporary work stoppage for hundreds of thousands of non-essential employees into a threat of permanent job loss.
A New, Aggressive Tactic
In previous government shutdowns, non-essential federal workers were typically furloughed without pay, with the expectation of receiving back pay once Congress passed a funding bill. The OMB’s new guidance, however, suggests the administration is attempting to use the shutdown threat to further its goal of significantly reducing the federal workforce.
The memo specifically targets employees in programmes whose discretionary funding will lapse on October 1, and those who do not have an alternative funding source. It explicitly mentions that RIF notices should be issued to employees in programmes that do not align with the current administration’s goals.
“Programs that did not benefit from an infusion of mandatory appropriations will bear the brunt of a shutdown,” the memo reportedly stated.
Democratic Leaders Vow to Fight Intimidation
The escalation drew immediate and fiery responses from Democratic leaders, who have so far remained united in blocking the Republican-led clean funding bill, demanding concessions on health care and other policy matters.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries took to social media, declaring, “We will not be intimidated by your threat to engage in mass firings. Get lost,” and publicly called the OMB Director a “malignant political hack.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer echoed the sentiment, calling the OMB memo “an attempt at intimidation” and predicting that any “unnecessary firings will either be overturned in court or the administration will end up hiring the workers back.”
The RIF Hammer Falls
A reduction-in-force not only lays off employees but also formally eliminates their positions, causing far greater disruption to the federal government’s operations than a temporary furlough.
Critics, including former OMB officials, have described the move as an “action of enormous self-harm inflicted on the nation”, warning that it would needlessly strip the government of talent and expertise.
With the funding deadline just days away and both sides showing no sign of compromise, the White House’s latest directive increases the potential for a catastrophic fallout that extends far beyond a typical government closure, threatening the livelihoods of tens of thousands of federal employees.
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