Trump Warns of “Irreversible” Mass Layoffs as US Government Shutdown Begins

Donald Trump has threatened sweeping federal job cuts as the United States enters a government shutdown, warning that layoffs could be “irreversible.”

The president’s remarks come as Democrats and Republicans remain deadlocked, triggering the closure of many federal agencies.

Political analyst Eric Ham told BBC News that Trump’s rhetoric may initially have been intended to pressure Democrats into concessions, but now that the shutdown has taken effect, “mass firings are certainly something that could be on the table.”

Trump’s Cost-Cutting Push

Since returning to the White House, Trump has sought to shrink government through his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, which has already overseen the firing of thousands of federal workers.

A White House memo circulated last Thursday instructed agencies to prepare for large-scale staff cuts in the event of a shutdown, fuelling concerns about Trump’s broader ambition to “streamline” Washington.

Shutdown Fallout

The shutdown began after the Senate failed to agree on a funding bill. While the president himself was not part of the vote, analysts say he could view the crisis as an opportunity to push his long-standing goal of restructuring the federal bureaucracy.

“This could be the moment Trump uses to permanently reduce the size of government,” Ham warned, suggesting the shutdown may become a turning point for America’s public workforce.

For now, federal employees face renewed uncertainty, with millions bracing for delayed paychecks — and potentially much worse if Trump follows through on his threat of mass layoffs.