Trump administration begins federal layoffs

The Trump administration announced Friday that federal layoffs had begun, as the federal government shutdown entered its 10th day.

"The RIFs have begun," Russell Vought, White House Office of Management and Budget director, said on social media platform X, referring to "Reduction in Force." The brief post did not disclose the number of employees affected or the specific departments involved.

According to U.S. media reports, this round of federal layoffs could be large in scale and wide in impact. A court document released by the U.S. Department of Justice on Friday evening showed that seven agencies began sending layoff notices to over 4,000 employees, including the Department of Commerce, the Department of Education, the Department of Energy, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of the Treasury.

Among them, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of the Treasury plan to lay off a relatively large number of employees, involving 1,100 to 1,200 staff members and 1,446 staff members respectively.

The document is in response to an urgent motion proposed by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, both of which had filed a lawsuit challenging the legality of Vought's announced plans to carry out layoffs during the shutdown.

U.S. President Donald Trump and White House officials repeatedly stated that federal workers would face layoffs if the government shutdown occurs, and they blamed Democrats for the situation. Democratic leaders, however, argued that Republicans were attempting to use federal employees as pawns in this budget dispute, calling it intimidation and threat.

On Friday, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Education confirmed that the department has been included in a new round of layoffs, with further staff reductions expected. The Education Department is one of the agencies targeted for complete abolition by the Trump administration. Earlier this year, the department had approximately 4,100 employees, but this number was nearly halved during Trump's mass layoffs. As of Oct. 1, the department had about 2,500 employees.

The Department of Homeland Security also announced on Friday that its subordinate agency, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), has begun layoffs. The CISA, which employs around 2,500 staff members, has frequently been criticized by Trump administration officials.

A report by The New York Times suggested that attempting to dismiss federal workers during the government shutdown could further escalate the current fiscal deadlock and come at a high cost. Trump is exploiting the shutdown to reorganize the federal budget and retaliate against political opponents.

Trump administration begins federal layoffs

Trump administration begins federal layoffs

Trump administration begins federal layoffs

Trump administration begins federal layoffs

A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.

Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.

In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.

"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.

Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.

In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.

"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.

By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.

After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.

"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.

Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.

As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.

Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media