Trump administration says about 4,200 federal employees face layoffs

The Trump administration has begun laying off federal employees due to the government shutdown, with about 4,200 employees across seven agencies receiving reduction-in-force (RIF) notices. The layoffs were announced by OMB Director Russell Vought and confirmed in a court filing by OMB senior advisor Stephen Billy. Affected agencies include HHS, Education, HUD, IRS, EPA, Commerce, Energy, and Homeland Security. Unions and employees have criticized the layoffs, with some agencies already having cut workers through earlier RIFs and voluntary resignations. The Trump administration blames Democrats for the shutdown and the subsequent layoffs, while Democrats accuse the administration of using the shutdown to shrink the federal government. The layoffs are part of Trump's workforce optimization initiative, which aims to reduce the size of the federal bureaucracy. The process for RIFs includes a minimum 60 days' notice, and some agencies may need to notify unions or Congress. The layoffs have inflamed tensions in Congress, with some Republicans criticizing the move, while Democrats accuse the administration of deliberate chaos.