The White House is playing hardball with federal agencies, demanding they prepare for potential mass firings if a government shutdown hits, as Politico reports.
The federal budget office, known as OMB, has issued a directive for agencies to craft reduction-in-force plans, targeting jobs in programs not deemed essential or aligned with current administration priorities.
This isn’t the usual temporary furlough game we’ve seen in past shutdowns. Instead, the OMB memo, shared with Politico before its release to agencies, spells out plans for permanent job cuts in discretionary programs lacking alternative funding. It’s a bold shift, and one that’s got congressional Democrats sweating.
As the fiscal year winds down on Sept. 30, Republicans and Democrats in Congress are locked in a bitter funding standoff. The House passed a stopgap measure to keep things running until Nov. 21, but Senate Democrats have slammed the brakes, pushing for bipartisan talks that might include extending certain health care subsidies.
If a clean stopgap bill passes before the deadline, these drastic layoff plans will be shelved. But without agreement, agencies must identify projects and activities where funding will lapse on October 1, 2025, and draft strategies to eliminate positions permanently.
OMB Director Russ Vought is wielding these job cuts as a negotiating tool against Democrats. It’s a high-stakes move, signaling that programs not matching President Donald Trump’s vision could be on the chopping block for good.
Not every program faces the axe -- key services such as Social Security, Medicare, veterans’ benefits, military operations, law enforcement, border protection, and air traffic control are safe from shutdown impacts. But other discretionary efforts? They’re in the crosshairs if funding dries up.
The OMB memo bluntly states that programs without mandatory funding “will bear the brunt” of a shutdown. That’s a cold reality for federal workers in less prioritized sectors, who now face not just temporary furloughs but the threat of losing their livelihoods entirely.
Agencies aren’t just planning quietly -- they’re required to submit these layoff strategies to OMB and notify employees, even those who might otherwise be furloughed or excepted during a funding gap. It’s a stark warning shot across the bow of the federal workforce.
Democrats aren’t taking this lying down, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer calling it “an attempt at intimidation.” He’s wrong to downplay the seriousness -- this isn’t just posturing; it’s a calculated push to reshape government priorities.
Schumer also claimed in March that a shutdown would be a “gift” to the administration, allowing them to gut vital services at lightning speed. But let’s be real: streamlining bloated bureaucracies isn’t destruction -- it’s overdue reform, even if the timing feels ruthless.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries took to social media, warning that the goal is to “ruin your life” and hurt families already struggling. That’s rich, considering how often progressive policies have burdened taxpayers -- perhaps it’s time for the government to live within its means.
Schumer later adjusted his tune, admitting the administration’s focus on reshaping federal agencies “will get worse” with or without a shutdown. If even he sees the writing on the wall, maybe it’s time for Congress to stop grandstanding and start negotiating.
Jeffries, eyeing voters in federal worker-heavy Virginia, urged folks to “remember in November.”
It’s a transparent political play, but the real question is whether Congress can bridge the divide before the shutdown clock strikes midnight.
