With uncertainty mounting over federal funding, the White House has directed all federal agencies to draft plans for permanent mass firings should a government shutdown take effect at the end of September.

In a memo issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), agencies are asked to identify “non-essential” staff whose roles are not protected by law or aligned with the president’s priorities.

Some of these individuals could be terminated rather than placed on temporary furlough, a dramatic departure from past shutdown playbooks.

The timing heightens fears among federal employees and signals a new escalation in Washington’s budget standoff.

According to the Washington Post, Democrats have denounced the move as a form of political intimidation. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries accused the administration of weaponizing the shutdown threat to reshape the federal workforce.

Republicans, for their part, argue the shift is necessary to prevent ongoing pay obligations and to force Democrats into negotiation. The White House contends that essential services will continue uninterrupted, but details remain murky.

With just days remaining before the funding deadline, the U.S. risks entering a period of unprecedented federal turbulence, should no budget deal be reached.