TCC Analysis • October 2, 2025
By Art Harman, Senior Vice President – Policy · October 2, 2025
A Historic Opportunity to Reshape Government
Democrats have shut down the federal government, offering President Donald J. Trump a historic opportunity to deliver on his promise of massive federal employee firings. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought is preparing lists of potentially hundreds of thousands of federal workers who will be permanently terminated.
With the federal debt exceeding $37 trillion and the current year’s deficit surpassing $1.6 trillion, government spending must be drastically reduced — and that includes cutting the federal workforce.
Reductions in Force: The Legal Mechanism
These cuts will be implemented under the law authorizing Reductions in Force (RIFs) and by making temporary shutdown furloughs permanent. The Conservative Caucus applauds President Trump’s determination to cut the federal workforce at historic levels.
We urge the president and OMB director to act immediately to authorize the maximum number of RIFs before any budget deal is made.
One of President Trump’s first executive orders reclassified many employees under Schedule F as “employees at will,” further streamlining the termination process and avoiding standard RIF procedures.
The Legal Window: “Reorganization Justification”
The urgency of immediate action is tied to the legal concept of a “reorganization justification.” A government funding lapse provides legal evidence that certain positions are no longer statutorily required. Acting now leverages this justification and limits opportunities for Democrats to successfully challenge dismissals in court.
Delaying action risks Democrats ending the shutdown, thereby blocking this additional legal authority to reduce the workforce.
Breaking the Power of the Deep State
The entrenched federal bureaucracy operates with ideological motives — expanding government power and undermining constitutional liberties. These unelected officials, often described as the “deep state,” pursue agendas contrary to those of the president and taxpayers. Deep staffing cuts will weaken this entrenched power structure.
The billions saved through permanent RIFs will significantly reduce the deficit. This one action could transform President Trump’s administration more than most other policy moves.
A Popular and Irreversible Reform
Across America — outside the Washington, D.C. establishment — such actions will be widely understood and supported. Companies routinely cut staff to prevent bankruptcy or reduce costs. These personnel cuts will also be difficult for future Democrat or “RINO” administrations to reverse.
We urge the president to act immediately and seize this opportunity before any budget deal is reached.
The Scale of the Opportunity
The federal civilian workforce, excluding the U.S. Postal Service, is approximately 2.4 million employees, with about 1.5 million classified as non-essential. This year’s voluntary buyouts resulted in 154,000 employees leaving the payroll — a figure that should only be a starting point.
A 2017 McKinsey study found that companies reducing bureaucracy by 15–30% significantly boosted productivity. Elon Musk’s decision to cut Twitter’s workforce by 80% — widely predicted to doom the company — instead streamlined operations and improved performance.
Given the excessive bureaucratization of federal agencies compared to private companies, an even higher percentage of federal employees could be dismissed without negative effects — and would likely result in greater efficiency and effectiveness.
Political Consequences
Ironically, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will face blame from his own party for creating this situation. By allowing the shutdown, Democrats have handed President Trump the legal and political opportunity for massive workforce reductions — a move that will disproportionately impact a federal workforce that is overwhelmingly Democratic.
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