Capitol Police officers adjust security barriers around the East Plaza at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025. With just days to go before federal money runs out with the end of the fiscal year on Tuesday, Sept. 30, Congress has failed to pass legislation to keep the government running after becoming deadlocked during votes late last week. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
WASHINGTON | The White House is telling agencies to prepare large-scale firings of federal workers if the government shuts down next week.
In a memo released Wednesday night, the Office of Management and Budget said agencies should consider a reduction in force for federal programs whose funding would lapse next week, is not otherwise funded and is “not consistent with the President’s priorities.” That would be a much more aggressive step than in previous shutdowns, when federal workers not deemed essential were furloughed but returned to their jobs once Congress approved government spending.
A reduction in force would not only lay off employees but eliminate their positions, which would trigger yet another massive upheaval in a federal workforce that has already faced major rounds of cuts this year due to efforts from the Department of Government Efficiency and elsewhere in the Trump administration.
Once any potential government shutdown ends, agencies are asked to revise their reduction in force plans “as needed to retain the minimal number of employees necessary to carry out statutory functions,” according to the memo, which was first reported by Politico.
This move from OMB significantly increases the consequences of a potential government shutdown next week and escalates pressure on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. The two leaders have kept nearly all of their Democratic lawmakers united against a clean funding bill pushed by President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans that would keep the federal government operating for seven more weeks, demanding immediate improvements to health care in exchange for their votes.
As of Wednesday, two of Aurora’s congressional reps stood firm in voting against a budget bill that they say guts healthcare access for all their constituents of all political persuasions.
“They are careening this government off a cliff,” Aurora Democratic Rep. Jason Crow told reporters at an affordable housing fair his office held in Aurora Wednesday. “I will not vote for a bill that jeopardizes the health of thousands of constituents and will explode the cost of healthcare for all of us.”
He joined Colorado Democratic Sen. John Hickenlooper and the congressional Democratic caucus in blaming Trump and Republicans for the looming crisis.
“Here’s the math: Trump needs 7 Democrats in the Senate to agree to his bill to fund the government,” Hickenlooper said in a social media post. ” But he just flip-flopped on negotiating with us yet again. I’m a No vote unless we address sky-high costs caused by health care cuts and tariffs.”
In statements issued shortly after the White House memo was released, Democratic leaders showed no signs of budging.
“We will not be intimidated by your threat to engage in mass firings,” Jeffries wrote in a post on X. “Get lost.”
Jeffries called Russ Vought, the head of OMB, a “malignant political hack.”
Schumer said in a statement that the OMB memo is an “attempt at intimidation” and predicted the “unnecessary firings will either be overturned in court or the administration will end up hiring the workers back.”
OMB noted that it held its first planning call with other federal agencies earlier this week to plan for a shutdown. The budget office plays point in managing federal government shutdowns, particularly planning for them ahead of time. Past budget offices have also posted shutdown contingency plans — which would outline which agency workers would stay on the job during a government shutdown and which would be furloughed — on its website, but this one has not.
The memo noted that congressional Democrats are refusing to support a clean government funding bill “due to their partisan demands,” which include an extension of enhanced health insurance subsidies set to expire at the end of the year, plus a reversal of Medicaid cuts that were included in Republicans’ big tax and spending cuts law.
“As such, it has never been more important for the Administration to be prepared for a shutdown if the Democrats choose to pursue one,” the memo reads, which also notes that the GOP’s signature law, a major tax and border spending package, gives “ample resources to ensure that many core Trump Administration priorities will continue uninterrupted.”
OMB noted that it had asked all agencies to submit their plans in case of a government shutdown by Aug. 1.
“OMB has received many, but not all, of your submissions,” it added. “Please send us your updated lapse plans ASAP.”
These hypocritical Democrat communists raised holy-hell when the Republicans threatened to shut down the government previously. They’re all spineless morons who not only deserve to be voted out, but should all be sent on a one-way trip to an El Salvadoran prison. They cry and moan when you don’t have the power to do what you want, but that’s the state of how the voters voted in 2024. The voters spoke; now it’s time you listen. The voters don’t want high crime, high taxes, unchecked illegal immigration and having our constitutional rights taken away (except maybe in California, Illinios, and New York). Take it like a man and hope voters are stupid enough to put you back in power (highly unlikely) in the mid-term elections.
There are so many of us out here in Colorado that just do not care what Jason Crow says and thinks but that’s another matter.
Our Congress for many years, say ten years, just prolongs their duty by providing very short periods of time for new budgets that create US governmental shut downs. So much Congress time wasted on discussing this, over and over. Now the Donald has learned how to use this as a tool to get his way and continues to attempt to cut government spending.
I’m with Elon, there is just too much spending in our country. I suspect this shut down will happen and the media will tell us that the sky is falling.
If you work for any government, just like the private sector, if there isn’t any funds to pay you then you will be eliminated. Self responsibility. It’s you that must take care of yourself. Don’t count on anyone else. That’s what built America. Tell your children!
The sky won’t fall. Employee’s will be fired. Better employees will be hired back or our government will be smaller over time. Many of you will continue to hate the Donald but the USA will be made greater. Life goes on.