The Pentagon has announced plans to reduce its civilian workforce by 5-8%, translating to a potential layoff of 35,000 to 60,000 employees. The initial phase will begin next week, affecting 5,400 probationary workers, who have been with the Department of Defense (DoD) for less than a year and have not yet secured civil service protection. This decision comes after consultations with Elon Musk's "department of government efficiency" initiative, or Doge, which provided the Pentagon with lists of employees deemed non-essential.
The DoD, the largest government agency, employs over 700,000 full-time civilian workers. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has voiced support for these cuts, emphasizing the need to trim administrative excess and bolster military capabilities. He has instructed military services to identify $50 billion in programs that could be cut next year to fund priorities set by former President Trump. Hegseth stated on social media platform X, the importance of focusing resources on "warfighters" rather than headquarters staff.
"We anticipate reducing the department’s civilian workforce by 5-8% to produce efficiencies and refocus the department on the president’s priorities and restoring readiness in the force." – Darin Selnick, the acting under-secretary of defense for personnel and readiness
Following these layoffs, the Pentagon will implement a hiring freeze to reassess its personnel needs. This move aligns with Donald Trump's political goals and aims to ensure that resources are allocated effectively within the military structure. The freeze will allow the department to evaluate workforce requirements comprehensively.
"It is simply not in the public interest to retain individuals whose contributions are not mission-critical. Taxpayers deserve to have us take a thorough look at our workforce top-to-bottom to see where we can eliminate redundancies." – Darin Selnick, the acting under-secretary of defense for personnel and readiness
Probationary employees across the federal government, many of whom began their positions within the last year, comprise a significant portion of recent terminations. Notably, approximately half of these individuals reside in states that supported Trump in the 2024 election. This pattern highlights a broader trend within federal employment decisions under the current administration.
The announcement of these workforce reductions follows the recent dismissal of General CQ Brown Jr., the former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. This series of changes underscores a strategic shift within the Pentagon towards streamlining operations and aligning with political directives.