In a significant move to streamline the U.S. federal government, President Donald Trump and his adviser Elon Musk have spearheaded an initiative that led to the termination of more than 9,500 federal workers across various key agencies. This effort is part of a broader strategy to reduce bureaucracy and address concerns about government waste.
The layoffs primarily targeted probationary employees in their first year, who have fewer employment protections. Affected departments include those managing public lands (Department of Interior), veterans’ services (Department of Veterans Affairs), health programs (Health and Human Services), energy management (Department of Energy), agriculture services (Department of Agriculture), and others like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
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The CFPB has been significantly reduced, affecting even fixed-term contract workers. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is preparing for further job cuts next week ahead of the April 15 tax deadline, raising concerns over potential impacts on tax collection efforts.
These layoffs follow an earlier voluntary buyout offer from Trump and Musk that resulted in about 75,000 federal workers leaving their positions voluntarily—approximately 3% of the civilian workforce.
The White House argues that these measures are necessary due to high levels of government debt—currently at $36 trillion—and last year’s $1.8 trillion deficit.
Critics argue that Elon Musk’s role raises concerns about deregulation and undermining civil-service protections. Democrats in Congress question whether these actions overstep legislative authority on federal spending, while Republicans largely support them.
Federal workers express shock at both the scale and suddenness of these terminations. Many received little notice before being let go via group calls or emails with immediate revocation of government access. Unions representing federal workers are exploring legal options to challenge these mass firings amid growing protests against DOGE’s actions across Washington D.C.
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