White House directs agencies to map mass layoffs in potential government shutdown

The White House has directed federal agencies to prepare for a possible government shutdown by mapping out mass layoff scenarios, asking agencies to consider reduction-in-force notices for programs that would lose discretionary funding if Congress does not pass a funding bill. The memo, issued by the White House Office of Management and Budget, places the onus on Democrats if a stopgap spending measure fails to pass and the government lapses into a funding gap.

The Office of Management and Budget’s directive instructs agencies to evaluate reduction-in-force plans for programs and projects that would face a lapse in discretionary funding on the shutdown date, and to ensure any proposed RIF plan is submitted to OMB for review. The memo emphasizes that some programs would be shielded from the lapse, listing Social Security, Medicare, veterans benefits, military operations, law enforcement, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection and air traffic control as unaffected by a funding lapse. It also notes that agencies should revise their RIF plans once fiscal year 2026 appropriations are enacted to retain the minimal number of employees necessary to carry out statutory functions.

Historically, agencies have crafted their own contingency plans for shutdowns, detailing which employees must continue to work and which may be furloughed. Those contingency plans, however, have not yet been posted on OMB’s website, and there has been no public disclosure of a unified federal-wide plan.

The timing of the memo coincides with a stalled funding fight in Congress. The House previously passed a continuing resolution to keep the government open through Nov. 21, but Senate Democrats did not support the measure, and the resolution failed in a 44–48 vote. Democrats then offered their own proposal, which included extensions to Affordable Care Act subsidies, but that plan also failed to advance. The White House has signaled that a clean CR to avert a lapse is preferable, saying it would prevent the discretionary spending lapse after Sept. 30, 2025, and expressing hope that Democrats will agree to such a measure.

The administration’s messaging has drawn pushback from Democrats. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., condemned the plan to use mass layoffs and accused OMB Director Russ Vought of engaging in political intimidation. "We will not be intimidated by your threat to engage in mass firings. Get lost," Jeffries wrote in response to reports about the reduction-in-force plans.

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As the dispute over funding intensifies, observers note that the administration’s RIF planning represents a broader political strategy tied to the shutdown threat. Politico reported the directive first, and Fox News Digital and The Associated Press contributed to coverage of the memo and the broader debate. The White House has said it would support a clean continuing resolution to avert a lapse, while Democrats have emphasized negotiating positions around a broader package, including ACA subsidies, that differ from the GOP plan advanced by House Republicans.

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