The White House has confirmed that over 10,000 federal workers are expected to lose their jobs due to the ongoing government shutdown. Budget Director Russ Vought announced that agencies have begun issuing reduction-in-force (RIF) notices, targeting departments that conflict with President Trump’s policy goals—including environmental justice programs, the Minority Business Development Agency, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
Vought stated the administration aims to dismantle parts of the federal bureaucracy, not just defund it. So far, around 4,000 employees have already been terminated, with total cuts projected to exceed 10,000. However, a federal judge in California has temporarily blocked further layoffs, prompting an appeal from the administration.
President Trump also vowed to release a new list of programs for elimination if the shutdown persists. Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson praised Trump’s emergency move to use unspent Pentagon research funds to cover active-duty military pay but warned it’s only a temporary solution.
A short-term funding bill passed by the House now awaits Senate approval. With only limited bipartisan support, federal agencies remain stalled, military families face financial uncertainty, and thousands of workers are furloughed as the shutdown drags on.