On Tuesday, October 14th, the 14th day of the U.S. federal government shutdown, the White House is preparing to continue with its large-scale layoff plan.
The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) posted on social media platform X on Tuesday stating that the White House is “making all preparations, standing ready, and weathering the stubborn insistence of the Democratic Party.”
They added that the White House will “pay military salaries, law enforcement fees, and continue to implement Reduction in Force (RIF) plans, and then wait.”
President Trump announced over the weekend that federal funds have been secured to pay American troops on time on October 15th. Due to the government shutdown, U.S. military personnel face the risk of not receiving their salaries.
The Trump administration announced last Friday, October 10th, that they have started laying off federal employees during the government shutdown, with 4,000 federal workers expected to be laid off.
The OMB statement on Monday was seen as a warning of further staff cuts. A senior government official told USA Today that this is only the first wave of layoffs, and if the shutdown continues, there will be more to come.
Republicans argue that these layoffs are fiscally prudent and accuse the Democratic Party of forcing the government to take action.
President Trump warned during a cabinet meeting that he will only cut “Democratic Party projects,” stating that Democratic Party priorities will not be considered by the White House.
“That’s a fact,” the president said. “If they want to do this, then we will let them taste the bitterness of their own actions.”
Most Senate Democrats refuse to support the Republican’s continued push for a short-term funding plan aimed at prompting negotiations on extending tax breaks in the Affordable Care Act, whose open enrollment begins on November 1st. Both the White House and congressional Republican leadership have stated that the government must be reopened before discussions on complex healthcare plans can begin, shifting the burden of action onto those Democratic Party members who refuse to vote.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement on Tuesday: “The Democrats decided to shut down the government because they believe providing free healthcare to illegal immigrants is more important than Americans… President Trump is working hard to alleviate the pain caused by Democrats, finding sources of funding to pay military expenses and other critical services that are not valued by the Democrats.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson stated at a press conference on Monday, October 13th: “Unless Democrats abandon their partisan demands, pass a clean, no-strings-attached budget to reopen the government, and pay federal workers their salaries, we will be facing one of the longest government shutdowns in U.S. history.”
According to recent polls, American voters are more likely to blame the government shutdown on Republicans, but when it comes to economic issues, they still trust the Republicans more.
Government employee unions have questioned the layoffs in court, which have led to the paralysis of the Department of Education. Other departments hit by extensive layoffs include the Department of Energy, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Commerce, and the Department of the Treasury.
Historically, non-essential federal workers are placed on forced leave without pay during government shutdowns, but are not laid off. During this government shutdown, approximately 750,000 federal employees have been forced to take unpaid leave.
As part of the Trump administration’s efforts to streamline government efficiency, tens of thousands of federal employees have been laid off since 2025.