Democracy Forward and federal labor unions filed a lawsuit on September 30th, 2025, seeking to block potential mass firings threatened by OMB Director Russ Vought during the looming government shutdown, according to a court filing. The lawsuit asserts that the threatened firings constitute an abuse of Vought's authority. This action comes as the U.S. government website has begun displaying messages blaming "the radical left" for the shutdown, and President Donald Trump stated to military leaders last month that he signed an executive order for a "quick reaction force" to quell civil disturbances, which he described as the "enemy from within." In related developments, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has signed eleven new memos, including one reviewing definitions of hazing, bullying, and harassment. He also made remarks regarding military appearance, stating, "No more beards or long hair, We don’t have a military full of Nordic pagans." Separately, a letter attributed to Hegseth's mother accused him of being an "abuser of women." Previous reports from September 30th, 2025, detailed a U.S. District Court ruling by Judge William Young that declared the Trump administration's targeting of pro-Palestinian students for deportation unconstitutional, an effort described as an attempt to "strike fear" into First Amendment protesters. Concurrently, U.S. aircraft movements to the Middle East were noted amidst heightened tensions with Iran, with refueling tankers and fighter jets deployed to bases like Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. The Congressional Budget Office projected that a government shutdown could furlough 750,000 employees daily, costing approximately $400 million.
