‘It’s Retaliatory, It’s Retribution’: Federal Workers Slam Trump’s Mass Layoffs As Shutdown Deepens

President Donald Trump’s administration has begun executing mass layoffs of federal employees as the government shutdown enters its third week, drawing criticism from workers who describe the actions as politically motivated. The first wave of layoffs affected more than 4,000 civil-service employees across multiple federal departments, including the Treasury Department, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Education.

As per CNN, Douglas Jackson, a service-disabled veteran and former Marine who was among those laid off, said the move felt like a betrayal, questioning the administration’s justification that layoffs were necessary to preserve essential programs. “It’s retaliatory, it’s retribution,” Jackson said, adding that the process creates uncertainty for affected employees. He emphasized that federal workers, including himself, are not aligned with any particular political party, contrary to claims made by the administration.

Vice President JD Vance defended the layoffs during an appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press, saying “We have to lay off some federal workers in the midst of this shutdown to preserve the essential benefits for the American people that the government does provide”. However, budget experts have challenged this reasoning, noting that most furloughed employees are not being paid during the shutdown, and any savings from layoffs would be minimal compared to overall funding needs, according to commentary by the Center for American Progress and the Washington Center for Equitable Growth.

Federal Agencies Brace For More Disruptions As The Standoff Drags On

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced plans to continue mass layoffs if the shutdown persists, stating on X that “making every preparation to batten down the hatches and ride out the Democrats’ intransigence” and maintain essential services while waiting for congressional action. Additional rounds of reductions in force (RIFs) are expected, targeting thousands more employees in agencies including HHS and the IRS.

Federal unions, including the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), have filed lawsuits to stop the layoffs, arguing they are illegal. District Court Judge Susan Illston has yet to rule on requests for temporary restraining orders. Meanwhile, workers and union representatives maintain that the layoffs disproportionately impact employees who do not align with the administration’s political priorities, a claim the White House disputes.

The political standoff in Congress continues to complicate the situation. Republican lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, have criticized Democrats for holding up budget agreements, while Democratic lawmakers have emphasized the need to extend health care subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) before the end of the year. The dispute over these subsidies remains a central point in negotiations to reopen government operations.

The shutdown has also disrupted federal services. While Social Security payments continue as mandatory spending, other services such as issuing Medicare cards or correcting earnings records have been limited. The Social Security Administration has delayed announcing the 2026 cost-of-living adjustment due to postponed labor statistics reports.