The White House began a sweeping downsizing of its workforce on Friday as the government shutdown dragged into a second week.

"The RIFs have begun," White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought wrote on X, using an abbreviation for "reductions in force."

An OMB official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told Fox News Digital that the downsizing would be "substantial." The White House referred questions to the OMB.

SHUTDOWN EXPLAINED: WHO WORKS, WHO DOESN'T AND HOW MUCH IT COSTS

The federal government shut down at 12:01 a.m. ET on Oct. 7. (Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg/Getty Images / Getty Images)

The federal government shut down at 12:01 a.m. ET on Oct. 7, forcing agencies to send home workers in roles not considered essential.

Typically, furloughs

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