Latest phase of lockdown: From the Policy Desk
Welcome to the online version of From the policy officea newsletter bringing you the latest reporting and analysis of the NBC News Politics team from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail.
In Friday’s edition, four NBC News correspondents in Washington delved into the next phase of the government shutdown crisis: layoffs ordered by the Trump administration. Plus, Meet the Press moderator Kristin Welker dives into Trump’s trend of prosecuting his old political opponents.
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-Scott Bland
Trump’s latest shutdown move: ‘major’ federal layoffs.
Written by Sahil Kapoor, Yamesh Alcindor, Monica Alba, and Laura Strickler
The Trump administration announced on Friday that it had begun “significant” layoffs of federal workers, while the government remains closed due to Congress’ inability to reach a funding agreement.
“The regulatory and regulatory frameworks have begun,” White House budget director Ross Vought said on X, referring to the “reduction in power” for workers.
While he did not provide details, a spokesperson for the White House Office of Management and Budget confirmed to NBC News that layoffs had begun and said they would be “significant.”
Affected agencies include the Departments of the Interior, Homeland Security, Treasury, Education, Energy, Housing and Urban Development, and Health and Human Services, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency, according to an administration official.
Spokespeople for several of those departments confirmed to NBC News that they sent layoff notices on Friday, but declined to specify how many employees were affected, referring comment to the Office of Management and Budget.
Democrats countered that the shutdown did not require President Donald Trump to fire workers or give him new powers to do so, and argued that the White House was acting in a retaliatory manner.
A DHS spokesperson said the department’s layoffs occurred within the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which has been a major target of Trump since its then-director confirmed he lost the 2020 election to President Joe Biden. “During the last administration, CISA focused on surveillance, branding, and electioneering,” a DHS spokesperson said. “This is part of bringing CISA back to its mission.”
Department of Health and Human Services spokesman Andrew Nixon said the cuts at that department focused on confronting the “bloated bureaucracy” created under the Biden administration, adding: “HHS continues to close wasteful and duplicative entities, including those that conflict with the Trump administration’s agenda to Make America Healthy Again.”
Read more here →
Two down, one to go?
Analysis by Kristin Welker
The Department of Justice’s indictment against New York Attorney General Letitia James now means that two of the three people who President Donald Trump asked the attorney general to charge now face federal charges.
Just a few weeks ago, Trump took to his Truth Social account to direct a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi criticizing her lack of action on James, former FBI Director James Comey, and California Sen. Adam Schiff, all prominent Trump critics who have served in key investigative positions looking into Trump and his allies over the years.
“We cannot delay any longer, this is killing our reputation and credibility. They have impeached me twice, indicted me (5 times!) for nothing. Justice must be served now!!! President D.G.T.” books.
The message looked almost like a private message meant for Bundy’s eyes only — and that’s because it was. An administration official confirmed to NBC News on Thursday that President Trump intended it to be a direct message. When he learned that he had instead posted the letter for the world to see, Trump tried to overlook the mistake.
The relatively clear line between the letter to Bondi and the recent charges against two of Trump’s most prominent political critics, James and Comey, raises concerns about who the next target might be. The day after Comey was indicted, Trump said, “I think there will be others” who could be indicted, adding that this was only his “opinion.” But he has been vocal about his desire for the Justice Department to go after his political enemies — the most recent example being the charges against James and Comey.
Even in this politicized era, the public gave bad marks in this area. A Pew Research Center poll in late September found that more than 6 in 10 American adults believed Trump had inappropriately used his office to punish his critics and inappropriately encouraged federal investigations of his political rivals.
Although Trump is not constitutionally qualified to run for a third term in office, the question is: Will these feelings lead to negative reactions from Republicans in the future?
In December, I asked President Trump if he wanted his administration to investigate then-President Joe Biden. He told me: “I am not looking to return to the past. I am looking to make our country successful. Retribution will be through success.”
We’ll discuss this and more on Meet the Press on Sunday with Vice President J.D. Vance, Arizona Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly, and South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham.
🗞️ Other top news of the day
- 🏳️ Peace plan in the Middle East: A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas has begun in phases, with Israel withdrawing its forces from Gaza, aid flowing and the release of hostages scheduled for next week. Read more →
- 🏳️🏳️ Inside the deal: How did that come together? Read more →
- 📦 Tariff problem: UPS has begun “dumping” some of the thousands of U.S.-bound packages that have been held up at hubs across the country, unable to clear the maze of new customs requirements imposed by the Trump administration. Read more →
- 👨⚖️ Everyone rises: Three Democratic-backed Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices are scheduled to vote next month in normally quiet “retention” races that this year are attracting millions in spending. Read more →
- 🥊 Debate night: Republican Winsome Earl Sears and Democrat Abigail Spanberger met in the only debate of their race for governor in Virginia. Read more →
- 🎓 The art of the deal: MIT on Friday became the first school to reject an offer of federal money in exchange for approval of the Trump administration’s education agenda. Read more →
That’s all from the Policy Office for now. Today’s newsletter is compiled by Scott Bland and Owen Auston Babcock.
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