Trump's Shutdown Power Play: Unions Rush Back to Court Over Secret Layoff Plans

As the U.S. government shutdown drags into its third week, a new legal battle is brewing in Washington. Federal employee unions have urgently returned to court, warning a federal judge that the Trump administration may be preparing to circumvent a court-ordered ban on layoffs, potentially putting thousands of civil servants at risk .

Inside the Courtroom Standoff

The conflict centers on a temporary restraining order issued earlier this month, which explicitly blocked the Trump administration from implementing any new or existing layoffs related to the ongoing shutdown . This injunction was a major victory for unions like AFSCME and the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), who argued the mass firings were both illegal and a dangerous escalation during a funding crisis .

However, in a dramatic turn of events, union lawyers filed an emergency motion this week. They claim to have obtained credible information about “plans for potentially thousands of employees to be laid off” at the Department of the Interior and other agencies, despite the clear court order . This has set the stage for a high-stakes preliminary injunction hearing scheduled for October 28 .

The Human Cost of the Shutdown

The shutdown’s impact is already severe. Roughly 900,000 federal employees have been furloughed, while another 700,000 are being forced to work without knowing when they will be paid . The uncertainty is causing immense financial and emotional strain on families across the country.

The administration’s actions have been erratic. Just last Friday, it announced 4,100 layoffs, only to rescind 800 of them over the weekend—a move that has only added to the confusion and fear among the federal workforce .

Trump’s Ambitious, and Controversial, Cuts

This legal fight is part of a much larger strategy by the second Trump administration. Officials have announced plans for a massive restructuring of the federal government, with layoffs that could number “north of 10,000” during the shutdown alone . Some reports suggest the total number of civil service layoffs could reach a staggering 300,000 .

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has claimed it is complying with the court order by delaying the firings . But the unions remain deeply skeptical, pointing to internal agency communications and planning documents as evidence that the administration is merely biding its time.

What’s at Stake?

The core issue before the court is a fundamental question of power: Can an administration use a government shutdown as a pretext to execute a long-desired political agenda of downsizing the federal workforce? The unions argue that these layoffs are not a necessary consequence of the funding lapse but a deliberate policy choice that violates federal labor law.

What Happens Next?

All eyes are now on the October 28 hearing. A permanent injunction would be a significant blow to the administration’s plans and offer a lifeline to federal workers. A loss for the unions, however, could open the floodgates to a wave of dismissals that would reshape the government for a generation.