OMB head says layoffs will be 'north of 10K' as judge blocks cuts

The Trump administration plans to fire more than 10,000 civilian federal workers during the partial government shutdown, White House budget director Russ Vought said Wednesday, just before a federal judge temporarily blocked the government from so-called reductions in force.

That estimate, which came in an interview on the Charlie Kirk radio show broadcast from the White House, would more than double the number of planned layoffs the administration outlined in a court filing Friday. That document said more than 4,100 layoffs were planned at seven departments, though it also said more could be on the way as agencies finalized their plans.

“I think it’ll get much higher,” Vought said of the reductions-in-force, known as RIFs. “And we’re going to keep these RIFs rolling throughout this sh