The Trump administration, with the involvement of advisor Elon Musk, has initiated a large-scale effort to downsize the federal workforce, resulting in 9,500 layoffs this week. Additionally, nearly 75,000 employees have accepted buyouts. The job cuts primarily affected staff with less than a year of service, who generally have fewer protections.
These reductions have impacted key federal agencies, including Veterans Affairs, Education, and the Small Business Administration. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) reportedly advised agencies to dismiss probationary employees, while the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) also laid off some fixed-term contract workers.
President Trump has justified the layoffs by arguing that the federal government is too large and inefficient, citing waste, fraud, and the nation’s $36 trillion debt and $1.8 trillion deficit.
Breakdown of the Layoffs by Agency:
- Department of the Interior: Approximately 2,300 employees were laid off, including 800 from the Bureau of Land Management, which manages public lands for oil and gas development, timber harvesting, and conservation.
- Department of Energy: Between 1,200 and 2,000 employees were dismissed, including 300 from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), which oversees the nation’s nuclear weapons program. Some layoffs were reversed to retain key nuclear security personnel.
- Department of Agriculture: The US Forest Service cut 3,400 positions, about 10% of its workforce. Other research divisions, including the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and the Economic Research Service (ERS), also faced layoffs.
- Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) dismissed 45% of its probationary employees, amounting to 1,300 staff members—10% of the agency’s total workforce.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB): The agency has been largely dismantled under Trump’s directive, with at least 70 probationary employees and multiple contract workers laid off.
- Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): Over 1,000 employees were dismissed from the VA, which serves military veterans and employs more than 450,000 people.
- Office of Personnel Management (OPM): Around 100 probationary employees were dismissed in a group call on Thursday. OPM oversees federal hiring and human resources.
- Small Business Administration (SBA): At least 45 probationary employees were terminated, per a letter reviewed by Reuters. The agency provides support for small businesses.
- Department of Education: At least 160 recently hired employees were laid off. Trump has proposed dismantling the department, though this would require congressional approval. The agency manages student loans, grants, and special education funding.
- General Services Administration (GSA): About 100 employees were laid off from this independent agency, which handles federal real estate and government contracts.
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS): The IRS is expected to announce thousands of layoffs next week, further reducing its 80,000-person workforce.
The widespread job cuts align with Trump’s broader effort to restructure the federal government, though critics argue they could disrupt essential services.
