Fri Jul 11 10:45:09 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

Following a Supreme Court ruling that allows for a large-scale reduction of the federal workforce, the White House is carefully reviewing layoff plans submitted by various federal agencies to minimize potential legal challenges. The White House Counsel’s Office and the Office of Personnel Management are working to ensure compliance with laws and regulations, including those related to labor contracts and minimum staffing requirements. The administration acknowledges that lawsuits are likely regardless, but aims to move quickly with the downsizing effort. The State Department is expected to be among the first agencies to issue layoff notices. This downsizing effort, led by Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency, has already resulted in significant reductions to the federal workforce.

**News Article:**

**White House Scrutinizes Federal Layoff Plans to Limit Legal Challenges After Supreme Court Ruling**

**WASHINGTON (July 11, 2025)** – The White House is meticulously examining layoff plans from federal agencies following a Supreme Court decision earlier this week that clears the path for a significant downsizing of the government workforce. Officials are working to minimize potential legal challenges stemming from the planned job cuts.

The White House Counsel’s Office and the Office of Personnel Management are coordinating with agencies to ensure their plans adhere to all legal requirements, including those mandated by Congress regarding layoff procedures and minimum staffing levels. While a firm timeline remains unclear, the White House aims to implement the workforce reduction swiftly, deeming it an “immediate priority.”

“The goal is to simplify the size of the federal government, so we will do what we need to do to reach that goal,” said a senior White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The Supreme Court’s decision on Tuesday (July 8, 2025) effectively lifted a legal cloud that had stalled President Trump’s ambition to streamline the 2.3 million-strong federal civilian workforce. While the administration frames the effort as a necessary cost-saving measure, unions and other groups warn that the layoffs will disrupt essential services and negatively impact the lives of federal workers.

Given the high number of unionized federal employees, all planned layoffs must comply with existing labor contracts. Even if the administration meets baseline legal requirements, it anticipates further legal challenges related to due process, civil service protections, union rights, and public access to government services.

The U.S. State Department announced on Thursday (July 10, 2025) that it would proceed with its layoff plan, with termination notices expected to be issued as early as Friday (July 11, 2025). In late May, the agency proposed laying off approximately 2,000 employees.

President Trump initiated the downsizing campaign upon taking office in January, tasking Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency with leading the effort. A Reuters tally indicates that by late April, the project had already resulted in 260,000 federal employees leaving their posts through firings, resignations, and early retirements. Numerous agencies, including the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Health and Human Services, and Veterans Affairs, submitted layoff plans earlier this year, which had been in limbo until the Supreme Court’s recent ruling.

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