Trump Targets HUD’s Radical Office With Layoffs Amid Prolonged Shutdown

More than 400 federal workers at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are being laid off, with the Trump administration zeroing in on a controversial office that had tried to reshape America’s neighborhoods using left-wing social theories.

A HUD official told The Daily Wire that the Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity office — a centerpiece of Biden-era progressive policymaking — is bearing the brunt of the 442 layoffs at the agency. The move comes as the federal shutdown stretches into its third week and President Trump’s team seeks to permanently downsize what they view as bloated, ideologically driven bureaucracies.

Left-Wing Agenda Gets the Axe

The Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity office, originally tasked with enforcing the Civil Rights Act in housing matters, had grown to nearly 600 employees under Joe Biden. The office received a 20% budget hike and began prioritizing fringe issues like so-called “environmental racism,” transgender access, and vague allegations of systemic bias in real estate — while neglecting basic, clear-cut discrimination complaints.

The official cited a case where the Biden HUD ignored a double-amputee’s request to widen his driveway for wheelchair access for two years. The Trump administration took up the case as an example of how the agency had lost focus under Biden.

HUD’s inspector general found in 2024 that the office missed its 100-day legal deadline to process complaints in more than 70% of cases — evidence, Trump officials say, of a bloated, ineffective bureaucracy drowning in progressive ideology.

The War on the Suburbs

The layoffs also hit the nerve center of the left’s failed attempt to “abolish the suburbs.” Under the so-called “Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing” rule, Biden sought to force dense housing into suburban communities by withholding federal dollars unless they eliminated single-family zoning and minimum lot sizes.

The rule claimed that it was discriminatory to preserve quiet, spacious neighborhoods — arguing that minority residents were being excluded. Trump had repealed the rule during his first term, Biden reinstated it, and Trump repealed it again this year before it could wreak havoc.

Critics said the policy ignored basic facts — such as the fact that most Americans, including minorities, choose to live in the suburbs and value that lifestyle.

Racial Appraisal Theory Rejected

The office also promoted the theory that home appraisals were racist, claiming that black homeowners received lower valuations. But experts noted that appraisals are driven by data on similar home sales — not skin color — and that appraisers often have no idea who owns a property.

The Trump administration is shelving those theories, focusing instead on real cases of discrimination based on race, sex, disability, and national origin as outlined by law.

HUD Going English-Only

The administration also confirmed a return to traditional language standards: HUD communications will now appear in English only. The official said this is not considered discrimination, noting that language ability is not a protected category under the Civil Rights Act.

The agency is not waiting for Congress to end the shutdown. Layoff notices have already been issued, taking effect in 60 days. While the move coincides with the ongoing funding impasse, the official said the downsizing had been in the works for months and reflects a strategic realignment, not a temporary cost-saving measure.

More Cuts to Progressive Bureaucracies

HUD isn’t the only agency facing cuts. Trump’s team is targeting what it sees as Democrat-aligned arms of the federal government. Other planned layoffs include:

• 1,400 employees at the IRS

• 466 at the Department of Education

• 187 at the Department of Energy

All offices selected for layoffs, according to Trump officials, were bloated, inefficient, or pushing agendas out of sync with administration priorities.

Trump’s Message: Refocus and Reform

The Trump White House maintains that the administration supports HUD’s mission — but wants to return it to enforcing real civil rights, not left-wing social experiments.

“We’re going to defend against actual discrimination,” the HUD official said. “But we’re not going to redefine racism to mean anything the far left doesn’t like.”