WASHINGTON — The firing of federal employees is imminent, the White House said on Wednesday as the government shutdown has now begun.
Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought told House Republicans on Wednesday the Trump administration will start firing federal employees in the next “one to two” days, according to two GOP sources on the conference call.
Speaking at the White House press briefing just moments later, Vice President JD Vance confirmed layoffs would happen unless the government reopens.
“We are going to have to lay some people off if the shutdown continues. We don’t like that. We don’t necessarily want to do it,” Vance told reporters. “But we’re going to do what we have to keep the American people’s essential services continuing to run.”
Vance denied that the Trump administration would target federal workers for layoffs “based on politics.”
“We’re targeting the people’s government so that as much as possible of the essential services can continue to function,” he said.
Asked about the administration’s threats to fire federal workers, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said Republicans would have laid people off regardless of a shutdown.
“So all this talk that we see right now, as if it has anything to do with the shutdown that Republicans have caused — no, it’s their ideology,” Jeffries told reporters. “Cruelty is the point when it comes to the Republican Party.”
Funding expired at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday after both Democrats and Republicans failed to reach a deal on a funding bill to keep the government open past the end of the fiscal year, Sept. 30.
Social Security payments to more than 74 million Americans will stay on schedule during the government shutdown.
The agency confirmed on its website that there will be “no change in payment dates,” adding “you will still receive your payments on time.”
Vance said that he is speaking to a “number” of Democratic and Republican colleagues to help end the government shutdown.
