The Trump administration’s move to fire thousands of federal employees could have a swift and severe impact on public services, staffers warned Friday, making it harder for veterans to get mental health care and hampering electric service to some rural residents as a beleaguered workforce struggles to cover for lost colleagues.

President Donald Trump's administration has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene in its bid to fire the head of an independent U.S. agency that protects government whistleblowers, bringing its first legal battle involving Trump's actions to the nation's highest judicial body since he took office in January.

The federal government is in the process of firing thousands of employees at federal public health agencies, reportedly notifying officials over the weekend about cuts at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Food and Drug Administration,

The Trump administration’s effort to slash the size of the federal workforce reached the Food and Drug Administration this weekend

The total number of FDA positions eliminated remains unclear, but the firings appear to impact centers for food, medical devices and tobacco products.