President Donald Trump pledged on Friday to target “Democrat-oriented” government workers as his administration launches sweeping efforts to shrink the federal bureaucracy. 

“These are people that the Democrats wanted that, in many cases, were not appropriate,” Trump said in the Oval Office. “We fought them at the time, and it was ultimately signed in, and some of these people— these are largely people that the Democrats want. Many of them will be fired.”

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His announcement came after Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought revealed that the Trump administration has begun laying off federal workers through “reductions in force.” The RIFs will affect over 4,000 employees across at least seven federal agencies, according to court filings.

Trump elaborated on efforts to lay off federal workers during the government shutdown during remarks on Friday evening. The administration will determine exactly “how many” positions to eliminate in the coming days, he said.

 “We’re going to make a determination — do we want a lot?” Trump added. “And I must tell you, a lot of them happen to be Democrat-oriented.” 

The president blamed the layoffs on Democrats, arguing they are the ones responsible for the government shutdown. 

“It will be Democrat-oriented, because we figure they started this thing, so they should be Democrat-oriented. It’ll be a lot, and we’ll announce the numbers over the next couple of days. But it’ll be a lot of people all because of the Democrats,” Trump said. 

While Republican leaders such as House Majority Leader Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) have stood by the president, some moderate GOP members slammed Trump for federal layoffs. 

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) has emerged as a leading critic. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, has also expressed concerns, blaming Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) for the shutdown. 

“Arbitrary layoffs result in a lack of sufficient personnel needed to conduct the mission of the agency and to deliver essential programs, and cause harm to families in Maine and throughout our country,” she told CNN. 

On the Democratic side, Schumer blasted cuts as “deliberate chaos.” 

“They’re callously choosing to hurt people — the workers who protect our country, inspect our food, respond when disasters strike,” he said. 

The shutdown was triggered on Oct. 5, when Senate Democrats blocked a “clean” continuing resolution to keep the government open. The term means the measure keeps the government funded at currently approved levels, with no attached provisions favoring Republicans or Democrats. 

Schumer has led his caucus in blocking multiple rounds of votes because he wants to attach provisions to the measure extending Obamacare subsidies. Democrats argue that the healthcare reforms are urgent, and millions of Americans will see premiums increase dramatically if Republicans fail to attach the provisions. 

Johnson has argued that Democrats have backed similar “clean” CRs keeping the government open over a dozen times in recent years. The House speaker has suggested that Schumer’s worries are nothing more than a political ploy designed to appease fringe elements in the party after Schumer was condemned by progressives in March when he agreed to back a similar CR.

At the time, Schumer said “as bad as passing the CR is, allowing Donald Trump to take even much more power via a government shutdown is a far worse option.” 

After Schumer backed the CR earlier this year, momentum grew to primary the Democratic leader, with liberals backing Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as a challenger. 

In the months since, Schumer has changed course on backing a CR. And he has pinned blame on Republicans for the latest government shutdown, arguing Trump is weaponizing it for political purposes. 

“Republicans would rather see thousands of Americans lose their jobs than sit down and negotiate with Democrats to reopen the government,” Schumer said in a post to X on Friday. 

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DIALS UP HEAT ON DEMOCRATS AS SHUTDOWN ENTERS THIRD WEEK

Johnson argued Thursday that Schumer has changed course on the CR because he feels backed into a corner by left-wing factions in his party. 

“It’s the first time in history that a clean CR has ever been the subject of a government shutdown,” the House speaker told CBS News. “Chuck Schumer is playing political games right now for his own political future. He’s afraid he’s going to get a challenge from the Marxist left in his party, and so he’s dramatically changed course from everything he said for over 40 years here in the Congress, roll the tape.”