Sweeping Federal Workforce Reductions Underway: A Look at Agency-by-Agency Impacts
A significant restructuring of the United States federal workforce is in progress, spearheaded by President Donald Trump and, indirectly, figures like Elon Musk. This campaign aims to dramatically reduce the size of the civilian federal government, which currently stands at approximately 2.3 million employees. Early efforts have focused on layoffs and buyout offers, impacting over 100,000 individuals to date.
Initially, these cuts primarily affected employees with less than a year of tenure, who typically have fewer job protections. However, a new phase has begun, targeting career government workers. This intensification follows President Trump’s order on February 26th, instructing federal agencies to implement large-scale staff reductions. The Trump administration has not yet released a comprehensive figure for the total number of employees terminated.
A department-by-department overview reveals the extent and nature of these workforce adjustments:
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): The VA is reportedly planning a substantial reduction of over 80,000 employees, according to an internal memo obtained by Reuters. The stated objective is to return the agency to its 2019 staffing levels, which hovered just under 400,000. This drastic measure would entail cutting roughly 82,000 positions, significantly impacting veteran services.
The Pentagon: While initial expectations pointed to 50,000 job losses, the Pentagon is currently planning to eliminate 5,400 positions. Although this is a smaller figure than initially anticipated, it may not be the final number. A hiring freeze is in effect, and the agency is considering a potential reduction of its 950,000-strong civilian workforce by 5% to 8%. This could translate to tens of thousands of additional job losses.
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID): USAID, responsible for delivering American humanitarian assistance globally, has announced that all direct hires, except for essential personnel, will be placed on leave. Furthermore, 1,600 USAID employees based in the U.S. will be terminated. These cuts could hinder the agency’s ability to respond effectively to international crises.
Internal Revenue Service (IRS): The IRS has initiated the process of terminating approximately 12,000 employees. This action primarily affects individuals hired under the Biden administration as part of a program aimed at targeting fraud among wealthy taxpayers. Republicans have consistently opposed this expansion, arguing it could lead to undue harassment of ordinary citizens. The 12,000 cuts include roughly 7,000 probationary employees and 5,000 workers who accepted buyout packages. The IRS has a total of approximately 100,000 employees.
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA): The CIA has recently conducted a round of firings targeting recent hires. Current and former U.S. intelligence officers have voiced concerns that these cuts could compromise U.S. national security. The precise number of employees affected remains undisclosed.
Department of Justice (DOJ) & Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): At least 75 career Justice Department lawyers and FBI officials, who typically maintain their positions across administrations, have either resigned, been terminated, or stripped of their responsibilities in the early weeks of the Trump administration. The loss of experienced legal and law enforcement professionals could negatively impact the DOJ and FBI’s ability to carry out their missions.
Department of the Interior: Approximately 2,300 employees have been laid off from the Interior Department, including about 800 individuals from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The BLM manages millions of acres of federally owned land, encompassing diverse activities such as oil and gas development, timber harvesting, recreation, and cultural preservation. The Department as a whole employs over 70,000 people and oversees 500 million acres of public lands, including numerous national parks.
U.S. Forest Service: The U.S. Forest Service, a division of the Agriculture Department responsible for managing millions of acres of national forests and grasslands, is terminating 3,400 probationary employees, representing 10% of its workforce. This reduction could impact the Forest Service’s ability to manage and protect these vital natural resources.
Department of Agriculture: The Department of Agriculture has admitted to accidentally firing several employees involved in the federal government’s response to the H5N1 avian flu outbreak and is attempting to reinstate them. Layoffs have also occurred at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, which supports agricultural science and technology research, and the Economic Research Service, which produces reports and data on the farm economy. The extent of the layoffs across the Agriculture Department, which employs nearly 100,000 people, remains unclear.
U.S. Missions Worldwide (State Department): The Trump administration has instructed U.S. missions worldwide to prepare for staff reductions as part of a broad overhaul of the U.S. diplomatic corps. The stated goal is to create a workforce that will implement the administration’s policies without hesitation. Some embassies have been asked to consider reducing both U.S. staff and locally employed staff by 10% each. Dozens of contractors working at various State Department bureaus have already been laid off.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): The Associated Press reported that nearly 1,300 CDC staff members have been terminated, representing one-tenth of the agency’s workforce. This significant reduction could undermine the CDC’s ability to respond to public health emergencies.
National Institutes of Health (NIH): At the National Institutes of Health, 1,165 people, mostly probationary employees, have been laid off, according to an internal email. The NIH is the nation’s leading medical research agency, and these cuts could hinder its ability to advance scientific discovery.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA): The Food and Drug Administration is planning to rehire approximately 300 people, representing about one-third of the 1,000 FDA employees who have been terminated as part of the government-wide cuts. The FDA, responsible for reviewing drugs, food safety, medical devices, and tobacco products, has a total of around 20,000 employees.
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): The Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the CDC, NIH, and FDA, as well as Medicare and Medicaid, has more than 80,000 employees. Approximately 5,200 employees have lost their jobs.
Social Security Administration (SSA): The Social Security Administration, responsible for providing benefits to tens of millions of older Americans, plans to cut 7,000 workers, reducing its workforce by more than 12 percent. This reduction could lead to delays in processing benefit claims and providing customer service.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the agency that provides the U.S. government’s weather forecasts, began firing more than 800 workers on February 27th. NOAA, which houses the National Weather Service, the National Hurricane Center, and two tsunami warning centers, provides crucial information to help Americans survive weather emergencies.
Department of Energy (DOE): About 700 workers have been laid off at the Department of Energy. Sources have indicated that as many as 2,000 workers were informed they were being laid off and that managers were instructed to provide justification for rehiring some of them. An incident occurred on February 14th, where 325 workers from the National Nuclear Security Administration, an Energy Department office managing the U.S. nuclear weapons arsenal, were given layoff notices. Public outcry led to the rehiring of some employees, with ultimately fewer than 50 being let go.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): The Environmental Protection Agency, which enforces laws like the Clean Air Act and works to protect the environment, has fired 388 probationary employees. The agency has also placed on leave nearly 200 employees who work on environmental justice programs. The White House has announced that the EPA plans to cut its spending by 65%.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA): The FAA has fired more than 300 employees out of its workforce of 45,000.
Department of Education: At least 160 recent hires at the Department of Education have been notified of their termination. President Trump has called for the dissolution of the entire department and its 4,400 employees, though Congressional approval would be required.
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC): The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the regulator charged with monitoring large national banks, told staff it was firing 76 probationary employees.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB): The independent Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, responsible for consumer protection against banks, debt collectors, and other companies in the financial sector, has been largely shuttered after the Trump administration ordered it to halt all activity. Roughly 140 to 200 of the agency’s probationary and so-called term employees have been fired.
General Services Administration (GSA): The General Services Administration has issued termination letters. Career employees have begun to receive termination notices, and the GSA is expected to shutter many regional offices. GSA leaders have told staff that total spending is expected to be cut across all programs by about 50%.
Office of Personnel Management (OPM): All probationary employees at the Office of Personnel Management were fired in a group call that included around 100 people. OPM has also started to fire career staff, eliminating its entire procurement team and gutting a group overseeing the handling of sensitive employee data within the agency.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA): The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration laid off 4% of its staff.
Small Business Administration (SBA): At least 45 probationary employees at the Small Business Administration were fired.
The sweeping federal workforce reductions being implemented by the Trump administration represent a significant shift in the size and scope of the federal government. The long-term consequences of these cuts on government services, national security, and the economy remain to be seen.
