Plans for widespread layoffs are due by March 13 and have been ordered by Trump’s administration. As part of a push to reduce the size of the U.S. government, the memo calls for a major personnel cut that will first affect probationary employees before focusing on seasoned civil servants.
Elon Musk, the chairman of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), promised at Trump’s first cabinet meeting to advocate for significant spending cuts, thus government agencies were instructed to implement more widespread layoffs throughout his presidency.
In addition to the already overworked federal workers brought on by Musk’s previous waves of layoffs and program cuts, a recent order from the administration mandated that agencies propose plans by March 13 for a “significant reduction” in employment, as reported by Reuters. The number of anticipated layoffs was not identified in the memo.
According to the article, the document, which was signed by acting Director of the Office of Personnel Management Charles Ezell and White House budget director Russell Vought, marks a significant step forward in Trump and Musk’s effort to reduce the size of the U.S. government.
Probationary employees, who have less employment rights and a shorter tenure, have been the main victims of layoffs thus far. Targeting a far bigger pool of seasoned civil professionals is the goal of the next phase.
Trump said at the cabinet meeting that Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin plans to lay off up to 65% of the agency’s 15,000+ staff.
According to an Interior Department source who spoke to Reuters on Tuesday, organizations like the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service should expect to see staff reductions of between 10% and 40%.
Approximately 100,000 of the 2.3 million civilian federal employees in the country have been let go or bought out since Trump took office.
By bringing the billionaire to the cabinet meeting and asking him to speak on the work of his Department of Government Efficiency, which is in charge of the restructuring, Trump demonstrated his strong support for Musk’s cost-cutting initiatives.
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