White House Orders Agencies to Draft Mass Firing Plans Ahead of Possible Shutdown

The White House has directed federal agencies to prepare for large-scale firings if Congress fails to avert a government shutdown next week, according to a memo obtained by U.S. media.

The Office of Budget and Management instructed agencies to begin drafting “reduction in force” plans for programs that would lose funding after the September 30 budget deadline. The memo warned that permanent cuts could target projects lacking alternative funding sources and those deemed inconsistent with President Donald Trump’s priorities.

“We remain hopeful that Democrats in Congress will not trigger a shutdown and the steps outlined above will not be necessary,” the document stated.

The warning follows Trump’s cancellation of a scheduled meeting with Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries, who have pushed to restore healthcare funding in the budget talks. Trump dismissed their demands as “unserious and ridiculous.”

Last week, House Republicans, joined by one Democrat, passed a stopgap bill to keep the government open until November 20. However, Senate Democrats blocked the measure, instead proposing a plan to restore Medicaid funding that was cut under Trump’s sweeping July legislation, branded the “One, Big Beautiful Bill.”

Democrats denounced the White House memo as intimidation. “Donald Trump has been firing federal workers since day one — not to govern, but to scare,” Schumer said.

Since taking office, Trump has already overseen thousands of federal job cuts under his cost-cutting initiative with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).