Russell Vought, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, has been at the center of several major federal actions over the past few days. On Friday, Vought announced through a social media post on X that "The RIFs have begun," signaling the start of substantial reduction in force notices being issued to federal employees. An OMB spokesperson confirmed to NPR that the reduction in force process was underway and was substantial, though specific numbers were not immediately disclosed. Vought stated that the administration would announce the total numbers over the next couple of days, but indicated the figure would be significant. The timing of this announcement came just hours before a court ordered deadline requiring the federal government to detail any currently planned or in progress RIF notices being issued during or because of the government shutdown.
The layoffs affect multiple agencies, with the Department of Health and Human Services facing reductions of between 1,100 to 1,200 employees and the Department of Education losing approximately 466 positions. An OMB senior advisor stressed in a legal declaration that the situation remains fluid and rapidly evolving, suggesting that additional reductions in force could occur in the future. President Trump echoed Vought's announcement, stating that the number of people affected would be substantial, attributing the layoffs to what he characterized as Democratic obstruction.
Beyond the federal workforce reductions, Vought has also been involved in other high profile budget decisions. The White House under his direction has frozen transportation funding in Chicago and New York and canceled billions of dollars in Biden era energy project grants. These actions are framed by the administration as part of a broader effort to shrink the size and scope of the federal bureaucracy.
In a separate matter, Vought accused Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell of mismanaging the central bank's budget during renovations, demonstrating the budget chief's willingness to scrutinize spending across different branches of government.
These actions by Vought reflect the Trump administration's emphasis on government efficiency and downsizing, priorities that have been central since Trump returned to office in January. The substantial federal workforce reductions announced this week represent one of the most significant policy implementations of this approach to date.
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