Federal Judge Halts Trump Administration’s Plan to Fire Government Workers Amid Shutdown
A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order preventing the Trump administration from proceeding with mass firings of federal employees during the government shutdown. The ruling came shortly after a top White House official announced plans for deep cuts to the federal workforce, potentially impacting more than 10,000 government positions.
The legal intervention occurred on Wednesday when U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston granted the order, directly addressing the administration’s legal team. “The activities that are being undertaken here are contrary to the laws,” Illston stated, according to NBC News. Her decision temporarily stalls the administration’s efforts to issue reduction-in-force notices, or RIFs, which had already been sent to thousands of employees. The ruling is a significant development in a lawsuit filed by unions representing government workers who are challenging the legality of the cuts during a lapse in federal funding.
White House Outlines Aggressive Strategy for Job Reductions
Earlier on Wednesday, White House budget director Russell Vought detailed the administration’s strategy, expressing a commitment to significantly shrink the size of the federal government. Speaking on “The Charlie Kirk Show,” which was broadcasting from the White House, Vought, who serves as the director of the Office of Management and Budget, said the number of RIFs would likely grow substantially. “It could grow higher,” he commented. “I think we’ll probably end up being north of 10,000.”
Vought emphasized that the administration viewed the shutdown, which had entered its third week, as a unique chance to implement its agenda. “We want to be very aggressive where we can be in shuttering the bureaucracy, not just the funding,” Vought said. “We now have an opportunity to do that, and that’s where we’re going to be looking for our opportunities.” He further clarified that the figures previously disclosed in court documents related to the lawsuit were merely an initial estimate. Vought referred to the numbers as “just a snapshot,” adding, “I think it’ll get much higher, and we’re going to keep those RIFs rolling throughout this shutdown, because we think it’s important.”
By Friday, the White House had already sent RIF notices to approximately 4,200 federal employees, a number that was slightly revised downward on Tuesday. These actions prompted the legal challenge that led to Judge Illston’s restraining order.
Specific Agencies Targeted for Elimination
Vought provided specific examples of agencies and programs the administration intended to target for cuts. Among them were so-called Green New Deal programs at the Department of Energy and environmental justice initiatives within the Environmental Protection Agency. He also identified the Commerce Department’s Minority Business Development Agency and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) as entities facing potential reductions.
A primary target for Vought is the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), for which he is currently the acting director. He stated a clear goal to dismantle the agency entirely, setting a firm timeline for its closure. Vought said he aims to close the CFPB within “the next two, three months.” He justified the move by claiming the agency has “the DNA of [Democratic Sen.] Elizabeth Warren” and has attempted to “weaponize” financial laws against smaller institutions. The White House did not provide an immediate response to CNBC’s request for comment following the judge’s order.
Impact on the Federal Workforce
The ongoing shutdown has already placed immense strain on the federal workforce. Government employees, whether furloughed or deemed “excepted” and required to work, are not receiving paychecks as the funding lapse continues. The threat of permanent job losses through RIFs has added another layer of uncertainty for hundreds of thousands of workers and their families across the country. The administration’s stated intent to use the shutdown to actively reduce the federal workforce marks a significant escalation in its approach to managing government operations during a funding dispute.
In a separate but related development, President Donald Trump issued a presidential memorandum on Wednesday afternoon. The directive instructed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to utilize any available congressional funds to ensure active-duty military personnel continue to receive their pay without interruption. This action addresses a key group of federal employees, but does not extend to the civilian workforce affected by the broader shutdown and the proposed job cuts. The ongoing legal battle and the administration’s unwavering stance suggest a protracted conflict over the size and scope of the federal government.
