White House orders agencies to prep for mass firings in shutdown scenario

WASHINGTON — The White House on Wednesday directed federal agencies to prepare for mass firings should the federal government enter a partial shutdown on Oct. 1. A memo from the Office of Management and Budget to agency heads directs that employees who work in programs not legally required to continue during a shutdown be subject to reductions in force. 'It has never been more important for the Administration to be prepared for a shutdown if the Democrats choose to pursue one,' OMB Director Russ Vought wrote in the memo. The memo also instructs that any proposed RIF plan must be submitted to OMB for approval.

The memo frames a potential shutdown as a tool to limit costs and political damage to the administration if a funding fight persists into the fall. It specifies that once fiscal year 2026 appropriations are enacted, agencies should revise their reductions in force as needed to retain the minimal number of employees necessary to carry out statutory functions. The directive emphasizes that the effort is meant to preserve essential functions while reducing the footprint of nonessential programs during a lapse in funding.

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Democrats quickly criticized the move. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, in posts on X, criticized the administration as intimidatory, saying, 'Listen Russ, you are a malignant political hack. We will not be intimidated by your threat to engage in mass firings. Get lost.' Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer condemned the plan as an attempt to go beyond what is necessary to cut costs during a shutdown. 'This is an attempt at intimidation,' Schumer said. He argued that such firings would likely be challenged in court or reversed if the shutdown ends and workers are rehired, a process that has occurred in past standoffs.

The episode underscores the partisan tension surrounding federal funding fights as lawmakers approach a hard deadline. Democrats have been trying to leverage the budget confrontation to secure concessions on health care policy and other priorities, while Republicans have argued for aggressive cost-cutting measures to reduce the size of the government. The memo’s language and the direct call for reductions in force appear to intensify a political dynamic in which budget fights are inseparable from broader policy battles.

Analysts say the administration’s stated aim is to prepare for a shutdown in a way that minimizes disruptions while signaling resolve to critics on both sides. The plan would not only affect the size of the federal workforce but could also shape how agencies prioritize statutory duties during a lapse in funding. Critics worry about the human cost of mass reductions and the potential for extended court battles if challenged by unions or employees who believe the orders exceed statutory authority.

As the Oct. 1 deadline nears, observers will watch how Congress responds to the administration’s threat and whether any last-minute funding measures avert a shutdown or delay certain nonessential operations. The White House has signaled that it intends to press lawmakers to concede on policy demands tied to the broader budget fight, while Democrats vow not to yield under pressure. The next steps will likely involve high-stakes negotiations with significant implications for federal workers, program administration, and the political landscape surrounding US government funding.

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The discussion also raises questions about the enforcement of reductions in force during a shutdown and the procedures agencies must follow to implement furloughs or job cuts under continuing resolutions or appropriations pauses. While the memo provides a framework, legal challenges could complicate any mass-reduction plan if the shutdown turns out to be shorter or longer than anticipated. In the meantime, federal employees and agencies face a period of heightened uncertainty as the October deadline approaches and political rhetoric intensifies.

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