President Donald Trump and his adviser, DOGE chief, Elon Musk intensified their efforts to reduce the federal workforce, resulting in the dismissal of over 9,500 employees, reports Reuters. Those affected held roles ranging from overseeing public lands to providing essential services for military veterans.
While the White House and Office of Personnel Management (OPM) declined to disclose the number of affected workers, news agency Reuters claimed that the Trump administration is planning to terminate over 9,500 employees across multiple agencies. Those affected worked in various roles, from managing public lands to providing care for military veterans.
The layoffs hit the Departments of Interior, Energy, Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, and Health and Human Services. While the effort primarily targeted probationary employees with fewer job protections, some experienced workers were also affected. Entire agencies have been severely impacted, including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, where even fixed-term contract workers faced dismissal.
Government data shows that as of March 2024, 220,000 federal employees had been on the job for less than a year. Agencies have been given until Tuesday at 8 pm to issue layoff notices, raising concerns about additional dismissals.
Elon Musk-led job cuts
This effort to cut the federal workforce is being led by billionaire Elon Musk, who heads the Department of Government Efficiency, marking a dramatic shift in federal employment policies.
On Tuesday, President Trump issued an executive order directing agency leaders to prepare for “large-scale reductions” in the federal workforce. This directive follows the administration’s earlier voluntary buyout program, which saw only 75,000 employees accept the offer.
The layoffs began on Thursday night when the Department of Veterans Affairs announced that more than 1,000 employees with less than two years of service would be dismissed.
Workers recoil
Federal workers across the United States expressed anger and confusion on Friday following the Trump administration’s aggressive effort to shrink the federal workforce. The administration ordered agencies to lay off probationary employees who have yet to qualify for civil service protections, which has sent shockwaves through government offices from Michigan to Florida.
Many employees were abruptly informed that their services were no longer needed, leaving them scrambling to understand their options.
Some employees received layoff notices despite having already accepted deferred resignation offers, which were supposed to guarantee payment until September 30. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) acknowledged the confusion on Friday evening, stating that termination notices may have been sent in error and that buyout agreements would be honoured.
(With inputs from AP, Reuters)