Trump Announces List of Federal Programs to Be Permanently Eliminated
President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that his administration will release a list of federal programs slated for permanent elimination on Friday, describing them as “the most egregious socialist, semi-communist” initiatives as the government shutdown enters its third week. The announcement marks an escalation in the administration’s use of the funding lapse to restructure the federal government, following the layoff of over 4,200 federal employees last week.
Permanent Program Cuts Planned
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump stated the shutdown presented an opportunity to target programs his administration opposes.
“We’re closing up programs ... that we wanted to close up or that we never wanted to happen. We’re not going to let them come back.”
The president elaborated on his strategy, promising to release details by the end of the week:
“We will have a list of these programs on Friday, shutting down of the most egregious socialist semi-comm—probably not fully communist, we’re reserving that for New York—but semi-communist initiatives, and we are closing them. We are not terminating Republican programs because we believe they are effective.”
Trump claimed Democrats are “getting killed” during the shutdown and characterized the situation as allowing his administration to undertake actions that would not otherwise be possible.
Widespread Federal Layoffs
The Trump administration began issuing “substantial” workforce reductions on October 10, with reduction-in-force (RIF) notices delivered to approximately 4,200 federal employees across seven agencies. Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought announced the action on the social media platform X, stating, “The RIFs have begun”.
The Treasury Department experienced the largest cuts, with nearly 1,450 employees affected, including the entire 83-member Community Development Financial Institutions Fund team. The Department of Health and Human Services initially laid off over 1,300 workers, though approximately 700 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention employees had their layoff notices rescinded the following day after the agency acknowledged “data discrepancies and processing errors”.
Additional agencies affected by the layoffs include the Department of Education (466 employees), Commerce Department (315 employees), Energy Department (187 employees), and Department of Homeland Security (176 employees). Programs impacting special education services, mental health resources, and scientific research have been particularly affected.
Vice President JD Vance defended the layoffs on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” claiming they were necessary to maintain vital assistance programs and ensure military pay. However, budget analysts disputed these assertions, noting that furloughed federal employees are not receiving pay during the shutdown, meaning layoffs would not free up funds. Michael Linden, a former senior OMB official now serving as a senior policy fellow at the Washington Center for Equitable Growth, stated that any savings from such layoffs would represent only a minuscule portion of what is required to finance programs like WIC and military operations.
Cultural Institutions Shuttered
The shutdown’s impact extended to Washington’s cultural landmarks on Sunday, October 12, when all 21 Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo closed their doors after exhausting prior-year funding. The institutions had managed to remain open for 11 days using leftover funds from previous fiscal years.
The Smithsonian Institution confirmed that while animals at the National Zoo will continue receiving care, popular features like the panda cam and other live animal feeds are considered “non-essential” and have been shut down. The closures affect millions of annual visitors to the free Smithsonian attractions, with the institution welcoming nearly 17 million visitors in 2024.
The Smithsonian receives approximately 62 percent of its funding from Congress. National parks across the country are also experiencing limited services, though some remain partially accessible.
Political Deadlock Continues
The government shutdown began October 1 after Congress failed to agree on a funding extension for fiscal year 2026. Democrats have demanded an extension of expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies that Republicans refuse to negotiate, creating a stalemate that has persisted for two weeks.
The Senate held its eighth failed vote on Tuesday to advance a Republican continuing resolution, with no indication of progress toward ending the impasse. Approximately 1 million federal employees have been furloughed or are working without compensation, according to a review by the Bipartisan Policy Center of agencies’ contingency plans.
Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought, architect of the conservative Project 2025 blueprint, has positioned the shutdown as a strategic opportunity to permanently reduce the federal workforce. In a social media post, Vought outlined the administration’s approach: “Pay the troops, pay law enforcement, continue the RIFs, and wait”.
The Trump administration indicated in court filings that additional RIFs may follow in the coming days, suggesting the situation “is fluid and rapidly evolving”. Democratic leaders Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative Hakeem Jeffries’ offices did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
This use of permanent layoffs during a government shutdown represents an unprecedented departure from historical precedent, where furloughed workers were typically recalled when funding resumed.
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