USA 
United Kingdom
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has offered voluntary buyouts to its entire workforce as part of an effort to align the agency with President Donald Trump's national security priorities.
A CIA spokesperson said the initiative is part of newly appointed CIA Director John Ratcliffe's strategy to revitalise the agency. “Director Ratcliffe is moving swiftly to ensure the CIA workforce is responsive to the Administration's national security priorities. These moves are part of a holistic strategy to infuse the Agency with renewed energy,” the agency said.
Trump administration accelerates government downsizing
The buyout offer aligns with broader efforts by the Trump administration to streamline federal operations and install loyalists in key government roles. Last week, the White House extended a separate buyout programme to approximately two million full-time federal workers, allowing them to stop working immediately while continuing to receive pay and benefits until the end of the fiscal year on September 30.
The move has faced significant pushback from unions representing US government employees, who have filed a lawsuit to block the administration's plans. Critics argue that the restructuring efforts are designed to weaken institutional checks on executive power rather than achieve genuine efficiency gains.
Federal workforce faces uncertainty
Ratcliffe, a former congressman who previously served as Director of National Intelligence under Trump, was confirmed as CIA director shortly after Trump began his second term. His appointment has been viewed as part of a broader push to reshape the intelligence community.
A deferred resignation email was sent last week to federal employees, with approximately 20,000 workers opting to accept the buyout, according to Forbes. The offer provides a severance-style package allowing employees to leave their roles immediately without further work obligations.
With uncertainty growing over the long-term implications of the restructuring, concerns are mounting among federal employees about job security and the future direction of the intelligence agency.
The Trump administration wants to make siginificant cuts to staffing across all Government departments, an initiative being lead by X owner Elon Musk, who has been appointed as head of the Department of Government Efficiency. Some unions are advising workers not to accept the offers.
The administration has strongly hinted that employees who decline the offer may end up leaving with nothing.
The ongoing changes have created understandable anxiety among federal employees, fuelled by inconsistent messaging from the White House and federal agencies that has left many workers uncertain about their future employment status and benefits.
