Trump orders massive federal workforce cuts, and agencies brace for layoffs

Photo via Reuters

ANDREW CHO: On Feb. 11, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order mandating federal agencies to coordinate with the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to downsize their workforce and restrict future hiring. The order requires agencies to develop plans for "large-scale reductions in force" and limits new hires to one employee for every four who depart from federal service.

Since taking office, President Trump has made shrinking the federal workforce a key priority. On Jan. 28, his administration launched the "Deferred Resignation Program," which entailed that government workers who accept this offer by Feb. 6, will receive their full salary and benefits until Sept. 30. The Office of Personnel Management announced the closure of this program on Feb. 12, with about 75,000 federal workers accepting the offer. 

The recent executive order builds upon these efforts, intensifying the administration's push to reduce the size of the government. It tasks agency heads with coordinating their workforce reduction plans with DOGE, led by Elon Musk, who has been given significant latitude in slashing government spending. The order also prioritizes the elimination of offices not mandated by statute or law, including diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

In addition to workforce reductions, the Trump administration is implementing other measures to streamline the federal bureaucracy. These include eliminating the Federal Executive Institute, a program designed to provide leadership training to government bureaucrats. The administration is also removing job protections for federal employees involved in policy-making or advocacy roles.

The impact of these measures is already being felt across various agencies. The National Science Foundation has been instructed to prepare for a 25% to 50% reduction in force within two months, while the Department of Housing and Urban Development is planning for a potential 50% cut. Additionally, the administration has begun laying off probationary employees who have not yet gained civil service protection, affecting potentially hundreds of thousands of workers.

These sweeping changes have not been without opposition. Critics argue that the federal workforce has not significantly grown since the 1980s and that some agencies were already grappling with staffing shortages before these cuts. Elizabeth Linos, associate professor at Harvard's Kennedy School, said, "The problem we were facing over the past decades isn't one of bloat, but of vacancies”.

Despite the pushback, the Trump administration remains committed to its goal of reducing the size and scope of the federal government. Elon Musk, speaking at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, emphasized the need for drastic action, saying, "I think we do need to delete entire agencies as opposed to leaving a lot of them behind. If we don't remove the roots of the weed, then it's easy for the weed to grow back". 

Trump voiced similar sentiments to Musk, stressing the need to provide voters with what they wanted and tackling “all of this ‘'horrible stuff going on.’” He also expressed hope that “the court system is going to allow us to do what we have to do,” while stating he would abide by the court's ruling but would be prepared to appeal. 

Stephen Miller, the White Deputy Chief of Staff for policy, remarked that the two million federal employees were “predominantly left-leaning,” emphasizing the need for Trump to “regain control of the government.”

As the administration continues its efforts to reshape the federal workforce, the long-term impacts on government services and efficiency remain to be seen. With agencies bracing for further cuts and restructuring, the landscape of the federal government is poised for significant transformation in the coming months.

Andrew Cho is a staff writer for On the Record. He was born in Chicago, Illinois and grew up in Seoul, South Korea. He is a sophomore in the School of Foreign Service, majoring in International Politics.