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Federal agencies have been instructed to draft plans for further significant job reductions as part of a broad restructuring effort by the Trump administration.
A memo issued Wednesday outlined a plan to cut government jobs, eliminate positions permanently, and relocate offices to reduce costs.
The directive accelerates Trump’s push to shrink the federal workforce, which he has repeatedly criticized as inefficient and overstaffed. Thousands of probationary employees have already been dismissed, and now career civil servants with job protections face potential layoffs.
“We’re cutting down the size of government. We have to,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting. “We’re bloated. We’re sloppy. We have a lot of people that aren’t doing their job.”
Agencies must submit their initial reduction in force (RIF) plans by March 13, with additional restructuring proposals due by April 14. The memo calls for implementation by September 30.
Ideological push or cost-cutting measure?
Trump officials have framed the initiative as a necessary cost-saving measure, arguing that taxpayer dollars are being wasted on ineffective programs.
The memo, co-signed by White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought and acting Office of Personnel Management Director Charles Ezell, described the government as “costly, inefficient, and deeply in debt.”
“Instead, tax dollars are being siphoned off to fund unproductive and unnecessary programs that benefit radical interest groups while hurting hard-working American citizens,” the memo stated.
The administration has not yet identified specific agencies for staff reductions, though Trump suggested the Environmental Protection Agency could see a 65% workforce cut.
Kevin Owen, an employment attorney representing federal workers, likened the planned reductions to the disruptions caused by government shutdowns.
“This looks like a plan for a significant and shocking reduction of the federal workforce that I don’t think the American people are prepared for,” he said. “It’s going to cripple a lot of government functions.”
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Owen also suggested that the administration’s rapid implementation strategy prioritizes speed over legal considerations.
“Their plan is to do the damage and get sued,” he said. “By the time a court rules against them, they would have already achieved their goal in the interim.”
Elon Musk joins federal overhaul
The restructuring order follows an executive directive signed by Trump alongside billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, who oversees the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
The order mandates that agency leaders “promptly undertake preparations to initiate large-scale reductions in force.”
Some agencies have already begun the process. The General Services Administration informed employees this week that layoffs were underway, assuring staff that efforts would be made to ensure “a fair and dignified” transition.
While law enforcement, national security, military personnel, and US Postal Service jobs are exempt from the cuts, other departments face deep reductions.
Musk, who attended Trump’s Cabinet meeting wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat, defended the initiative, warning that failure to cut government spending could lead to national bankruptcy.
“If we don’t do this, America will go bankrupt,” Musk said, adding that he had recently demanded federal employees justify their jobs or risk termination. He later described the request as a “pulse check.”
“Are these people real? Are they alive? And can they write an email?” Musk asked.
The administration’s overhaul has sparked widespread uncertainty within the federal workforce, with more job reductions expected in the months ahead.
Kevin Epley