President Donald Trump is planning mass layoffs during the government shutdown, but senior federal officials have warned that such moves may be illegal due to the Antideficiency Act and potential labor union challenges. Despite these concerns, Trump has repeatedly said he will not back down on his plan to fire thousands of employees.
Federal officials have developed plans for firings for fewer than 16,000 people during a shutdown, but some senior officials are concerned that this could be interpreted as violating appropriations law. The Antideficiency Act prohibits the government from obligating or expending money not approved by Congress and forbids incurring new expenses during a shutdown.
In contrast, administration officials have stated that layoffs can be done under “executive authority” to fulfill the President’s constitutional role. However, many Republicans in Congress are supporting this approach as a means of gaining leverage in their negotiations with Democrats.
Federal employment lawyers argue that federal layoff regulations make it clear that agencies cannot dismiss employees during a shutdown without proper justification and notice. Some experts believe that the courts will ultimately intervene to block mass firings due to potential legal violations, but they acknowledge the complexity of these issues.
Meanwhile, thousands of federal workers are struggling with the effects of the ongoing shutdown, including missed paychecks and unclear instructions about their work responsibilities.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/10/02/shutdown-rifs-government-warnings