White House lays off thousands of US government workers, blaming shutdown

President Donald Trump on Friday blamed Democrats for his decision to lay off thousands of workers across the US government as he followed through on his threat to cut the federal workforce during the government shutdown, Report informs via Reuters.

Job cuts were underway at the Treasury Department, the US health agency, the Internal Revenue Service and the departments of education, commerce, and Homeland Security's cybersecurity division, spokespeople said, but the total extent of the layoffs was not immediately clear.

Roughly 300,000 federal civilian workers had already been set to leave their jobs this year due to a downsizing campaign initiated earlier this year by Trump.

"They started this thing," Trump told reporters during an event in the Oval Office, calling the job cuts "Democrat-oriented."

Trump's Republicans hold majorities in both chambers of Congress, but need Democratic votes in the US Senate to pass any measure that would fund the government.

Democrats are holding out for an extension of health-insurance subsidies, arguing health costs will increase dramatically for many of the 24 million Americans who get their coverage through the Affordable Care Act.

Trump has repeatedly threatened to fire federal workers during the shutdown standoff, in its 10th day on Friday, and has suggested his administration will aim primarily at parts of the government championed by Democrats.