Trump Admin Fires Over 4,000 Federal Workers Amid Government Shutdown, Court Filing Reveals

The Trump administration fired more than 4,000 federal workers Friday as the partial government shutdown stretched into its tenth day.

A Justice Department court filing disclosed the layoffs. The cuts hit at least seven Cabinet agencies. Federal employee unions discovered the numbers through their lawsuit against the administration. The unions filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California to halt the workforce cuts.

Treasury Department workers bore the heaviest losses with 1,446 positions eliminated. The Department of Health and Human Services cut up to 1,200 jobs. The Department of Education terminated 466 employees, while Housing and Urban Development released 442 workers. Commerce fired 315 employees, Energy cut 187, and Homeland Security laid off 176, the New York Post reported. (RELATED: Trump Admin Fires Entire Agency In One Swift Move Amid Schumer Shutdown)

4,000 federal workers fired due to ongoing government shutdown https://t.co/ksPTYqQjfZ pic.twitter.com/tWAPZ0KR53

— New York Post (@nypost) October 11, 2025

The filing revealed additional agencies issued reduction in force (RIF) notices. The Environmental Protection Agency warned 20 to 30 employees they could lose their jobs. The Patent and Trademark Office sent shutdown RIF notices to 126 workers on Oct. 1.

“Other Defendant agencies have made predecisional assessments regarding offices and subdivisions that may be considered for potential RIFs based on the criteria outlined in the OPM Lapse Email. But those assessments remain under deliberation and are not final,” the Justice Department wrote.

The administration argues workers won’t officially separate for 30 to 60 days, making emergency court intervention unnecessary. “Plaintiffs fail to establish irreparable harm,” DOJ lawyers wrote. “Their asserted harms — which stem from future loss of federal employment — would not take place until weeks or months from now, if at all.”

White House budget director Russ Vought confirmed the cuts on X, writing “The RIFs have begun” after Senate Democrats blocked a funding bill.

Judge Susan Illston scheduled a hearing for next Thursday to consider the unions‘ restraining order request.