For the first time in modern American history! The White House "butler" announces that the Trump administration has begun permanent layoffs

The U.S. federal government shutdown has entered its 10th day, and the White House "butler" has confirmed that the Trump administration has set a precedent in modern American history: for the first time during a federal government shutdown, large-scale permanent layoffs are taking place. On Friday, October 10, Eastern Time, Russell Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), posted on social media that the Trump administration has begun implementing large-scale permanent layoffs of federal employees. This means that during this federal government shutdown, the usual practice of requiring employees to take temporary leave is no longer being followed, and a large number of departing "civil servants" are being permanently let go. An OMB spokesperson later confirmed that the scale of the layoffs is "quite substantial." White House officials told the media that the layoffs will affect "thousands of federal workers." Additionally, government officials revealed that at least nine government departments, including the Department of the Interior, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of the Treasury, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Education, the Department of Energy, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, are impacted by this wave of layoffs. The permanent layoffs mark an escalation in the confrontation between President Trump and other Republicans against the Democrats. As the two parties remain deadlocked over core issues such as whether to continue the Obama administration's healthcare subsidies, the U.S. Senate has rejected temporary funding bills aimed at restarting the government in seven consecutive votes as of Thursday. On Thursday, Trump issued a new threat to the Democrats, stating that he would "only cut Democratic projects" during the government shutdown. Unions representing U.S. federal employees have turned to the courts to resist the layoffs, with a judge requiring the Department of Justice to submit a report by Friday afternoon explaining the plans for layoffs during the government shutdown. Maryland Democratic Representative Sarah Elfreth criticized the layoffs as "not only immoral and unjust but also illegal." Unprecedented Layoff Actions Vought posted on social media on Friday, stating: "RIF has begun." RIF is the official term for layoffs in the federal government, standing for "reductions in force." An OMB spokesperson explicitly told the media: "It can be confirmed that RIF has begun implementation, and the scale is enormous. These are RIF (layoffs), not furloughs." Vought's announcement breaks the precedent during government shutdowns in modern American history. In the past, during government shutdowns, employees typically only took temporary leave rather than being permanently laid off. Andrew Nixon, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), confirmed that employees in several departments of the agency have received layoff notices, with some layoffs targeting "personnel not aligned with the Trump administration's 'Make America Healthy Again' agenda." A spokesperson for the Department of Education also confirmed that some employees in that department would receive layoff notices on Friday. However, two employees from the Department of the Interior stated after Vought's post that they had not been informed by department officials about potential large-scale layoffs, with one saying that the union had not received any notice regarding upcoming layoffs Analysts point out that using government shutdowns to lay off federal workers or to make permanent cuts to agency budgets is an unprecedented move. Some government officials claim that layoffs are intended to save money for maintaining basic service operations during the shutdown. Political Maneuvering and Legal Challenges This round of layoffs is the latest tactic by the Trump administration to pressure Democratic districts. Before permanent layoffs were confirmed, the Trump administration had already suspended $18 billion in infrastructure spending in New York City, $2 billion in transportation project funding in Chicago, and $8 billion in green energy projects across 16 states—states that supported the Democratic candidate, then-Vice President Kamala Harris, in last year's presidential election. During a cabinet meeting on Thursday, Trump further politicized the shutdown crisis, announcing that the government would use this shutdown to "permanently cut" projects supported by Democrats. He stated, "We will only cut Democratic projects. They wanted to do this (shutdown), and now they will taste the bitter fruit of their actions." In a memo two weeks ago, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) instructed Trump administration officials to prepare plans for a Reduction in Force (RIF) during the government shutdown, targeting projects that are not legally obligated to continue or that conflict with Trump's policy priorities. Last week, two unions representing government workers filed for a temporary restraining order in the Northern District of California, attempting to block the government's attempt to lay off federal workers on a large scale during the shutdown. The court is scheduled to hold a related hearing on October 16. Divisions Within the Republican Party Notably, Republican leadership has taken a cautious stance on laying off federal workers. House Speaker Mike Johnson stated, "There may indeed be some projects that should be canceled, but we want to protect federal employees." Johnson and other leaders expressed that they believe all employees should receive back pay, regardless of whether they were required to work during the government shutdown. However, the White House argued in a recent memo that it cannot guarantee back pay for furloughed employees, although federal law intends to ensure they receive full compensation. Senate Republican Leader John Thune commented, "I think they have delayed as much as possible." This reflects that even within the Republican Party, there are differing opinions on such large-scale permanent layoffs. Future Impacts and Uncertainties Currently, more than two-thirds of civilian federal employees are still working. They are either essential personnel or their positions have long-term funding to maintain operations. The remaining personnel are at home on leave. The vast majority of federal employees are unable to receive pay during the government shutdown. White House Press Secretary Levitt stated this week, "This administration hopes for a government restart. We do not want to see anyone laid off. Unfortunately, if the shutdown continues, layoffs will be an unfortunate consequence." According to relevant regulations, any layoff notices issued in the coming days may come with a 60-day notice period before employees are actually terminated. Although government officials previously hinted that layoffs would be permanent actions, the OMB has advised agencies that they may revise their layoff plans once the government ends the shutdown