White House Announces Federal Layoffs Have Started Amid Shutdown

The White House Office of Management and Budget director announced the decision on Friday.

Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Russel Vought, joined by Vice President JD Vance, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.), and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), speaks at the White House on Sept. 29, 2025. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

A top White House official announced Friday that federal layoffs have started, after the government shutdown entered its 10th day.

The White House’s Office of Management and Budget director, in a brief post on X, wrote that “the RIFs have begun.” He is referring to a reduction in force, a formal term used by the government and corporations to refer to layoffs, downsizing efforts, or mass firings.