As the threat of a government shutdown looms, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has directed federal agencies to brace for significant workforce reductions in programs not legally mandated to continue.

The possibility of a government shutdown next week hinges on a heated dispute between Democrats and Republicans over federal funding. According to Politico, “The House passed a stopgap spending measure to float federal operations through Nov. 21,” but Democrats “refused to advance it, demanding that Republicans come to the table to negotiate a bipartisan package that could include an extension of expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies.” This standoff centers on proposed revisions to President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” enacted in July, which has become a flashpoint in the negotiations.

Should Congress fail to reach an agreement, the OMB is poised to implement drastic measures outlined in a recent memo. The memo begins with a stark warning: “Over the past 10 fiscal years, Congress has consistently passed Continuing Resolutions (CRs) on or by September 30 on a bipartisan basis. Unfortunately, congressional Democrats are signaling that they intend to break this bipartisan trend and shut down the government in the coming days over a series of insane demands, including $1 trillion in new spending.”

The OMB memo then addressed the House-passed Continuing Resolution, which all but one House Democrat voted against, stating that “congressional Democrats are currently blocking this clean CR due to their partisan demands.” It underscored the urgency of preparation, noting, “it has never been more important for the Administration to be prepared for a shutdown if the Democrats choose to pursue one.” The plan directs agencies to take the following steps:

“Programs that did not benefit from an infusion of mandatory appropriations will bear the brunt of a shutdown, and we must continue our planning efforts in the event Democrats decide to shut down the government. If Congress successfully passes a clean CR prior to September 30, the additional steps outlined in this email will not be necessary.

“With respect to those Federal programs whose funding would lapse and which are otherwise unfunded, such programs are no longer statutorily required to be carried out. Therefore, consistent with applicable law, including the requirements of 5 C.F.R. part 351, agencies are directed to use this opportunity to consider Reduction in Force (RIF) notices for all employees in programs, projects, or activities (PPAs) that satisfy all three of the following conditions: (1) discretionary funding lapses on October 1, 2025; (2) another source of funding, such as H.R. 1 (Public Law 119-21) is not currently available; and (3) the PPA is not consistent with the President’s priorities.”

The memo concluded: “We remain hopeful that Democrats in Congress will not trigger a shutdown and the steps outlined above will not be necessary. The President supports enactment of a clean CR to ensure no discretionary spending lapse after September 30, 2025, and OMB hopes the Democrats will agree.”

The plan has drawn sharp criticism from Democratic leaders. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) denounced the move, stating, “Trump is lawless,” and argued that such actions would persist “with or without [a shutdown].” He further claimed, “This is nothing new and has nothing to do with funding the government. These unnecessary firings will either be overturned in court or the administration will end up hiring the workers back, just like they did as recently as today.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) took to X with a more fiery response, writing, “Donald Trump and MAGA extremists are plotting mass firings of federal workers starting October 1. Their goal is to ruin your life and punish hardworking families already struggling with Trump Tariffs and inflation.” However, many Republicans are joining the dialogue. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) wrote on X how “the problem is that Democrats only want to meet to repeat their demands that we include FREE healthcare to illegal aliens, half a billion dollars to prop up liberal news outlets, other leftist priorities, and a MASSIVE $1.5 TRILLION spending HIKE in a simple 7-week funding bill. They are holding government funding hostage.”

Democrats are claiming that, should the government shut down, the blame would fall on Republicans. Johnson addressed this, stating, “House Republicans are doing our job and restoring regular order to the appropriations process. If Democrats fail to pass our clean, nonpartisan, 24-page CR to keep the government open the American People will know where the blame lies.”

Efforts to negotiate have hit a wall. President Trump had planned a meeting with top congressional Democrats late this week to discuss funding and avert a shutdown, but on Tuesday, he canceled it, labeling the Democrats’ demands “unserious and ridiculous.” He emphasized, “We must keep the Government open, and legislate like true Patriots rather than hold American Citizens hostage,” warning that failure to do so would lead to “another long and brutal slog through their radicalized quicksand.”