News
President Trumps Begins Massive Purge of the Federal Government
Mass layoffs across several U.S. federal government agencies have begun as President Donald Trump and Elon Musk push forward with their effort to overhaul the federal bureaucracy, union leaders told Reuters on Thursday.
Termination notices were sent within the past two days to numerous government employees, primarily probationary hires, at the Department of Education, the Small Business Administration (SBA), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the General Services Administration (GSA), which oversees many federal properties.
All probationary employees at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the federal government’s HR department, were dismissed during a group call on Thursday. They were instructed to vacate the agency’s Washington, D.C., headquarters by 3 p.m., sources told Reuters.
OPM officials also met with other federal agencies on Thursday, recommending they dismiss their probationary staff, with a few exceptions, according to someone familiar with the discussions.
President Trump’s restructuring of the federal government has expanded further, with aides of Elon Musk arriving at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for the first time. Meanwhile, U.S. embassies have been instructed to prepare for workforce reductions.
It remains unclear how many domestic federal employees are affected in this initial wave of layoffs. However, the move aligns with Trump’s promise to shrink the federal government and eliminate what he calls the “deep state,” referring to officials he perceives as disloyal.
Federal Government Dismissal Letters
Termination letters sent to at least 45 probationary staff at the SBA stated, “The Agency has determined that your abilities, knowledge, and skills do not meet current needs, and your performance does not warrant continued employment.”
Approximately 160 recent hires at the Department of Education were told in their dismissal letters that keeping them on would “not be in the public interest.” During his campaign, Trump had repeatedly called for the Department of Education to be eliminated. On Wednesday, he referred to it as a “con job” and reiterated his desire to shut it down.
Around 100 probationary employees at the GSA received termination letters on Wednesday, according to two people familiar with the situation. One GSA worker, just one month away from completing the probation period and with glowing performance reviews, said he was informed he’d be let go on Friday.
“Just two weeks ago, this was my dream job. Now it’s turned into a nightmare. I have young kids and a mortgage to pay,” the employee told Reuters.
Federal records show that about 280,000 civilian government employees were hired in the past two years, most of whom are still on probationary status.
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Musk, did not respond to a request for comment. However, an OPM spokesperson stated the firings were consistent with updated federal policies.
“The Trump administration is encouraging agencies to treat the probationary period as it was intended—a continuation of the hiring process, not guaranteed permanent employment,” the spokesperson said.
Federal Government Buyouts
Roughly 75,000 employees have accepted a buyout offer, equivalent to 3% of the federal civilian workforce, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. The deadline to accept the offer ended Wednesday. When asked why workers weren’t given more time to decide, Leavitt responded, “We’re confident we met our target.”
Trump directed Musk and his team at DOGE, a temporary agency, to oversee a significant reduction of the 2.3 million-strong civilian federal workforce. Musk, the wealthiest person in the world, has embedded DOGE staff in 16 government agencies. These staff members have accessed sensitive personnel and financial systems and sent some employees home.
Gavin Kliger, a senior DOGE official, arrived at the IRS on Thursday, marking the first time a Musk aide has entered the agency. The IRS has often been criticized by Republicans, who claim—without evidence—that the Biden administration used it to unfairly target small businesses and middle-income Americans with audits.
At the same time, the Trump administration has asked U.S. embassies around the world to prepare for staff reductions, three sources told Reuters. This is part of Trump’s broader plan to reshape the nation’s diplomatic service.
Thousands of federal workers in Washington, D.C., are now worried they could be next as fear spreads across the workforce.
Speaking via video at the World Government Summit in Dubai on Thursday, Musk said, “We need to shut down entire agencies.”
Despite lawsuits from labour unions, Democratic attorneys general, and criticism from some Republican budget experts, Trump has pressed forward with the initiative. Critics argue the plan is ideologically driven, but Trump insists the federal government is bloated and inefficient, losing billions to waste and fraud.
While both parties agree on the need for government reform, many question Musk’s aggressive approach, which has given him extraordinary influence in the early days of Trump’s presidency.
