By David B. Gleason from Chicago, IL - The Pentagon, CC BY-SA 2.0,
The Department of Defense has announced the termination of 5,400 probationary employees, effective next week, alongside the implementation of a hiring freeze. This decision follows a visit earlier in the week by personnel from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to the Pentagon, where they were provided with lists of affected employees, as reported by U.S. officials on Friday. It is important to note that these lists do not include uniformed military personnel, who are exempt from these cuts. Probationary employees are typically those who have been employed for less than one year and have not yet acquired civil service protections.
Darin Selnick, the acting undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, stated, “We expect to decrease the Department’s civilian workforce by 5-8 percent to enhance efficiencies and realign the Department with the President’s priorities, as well as to restore readiness within the force.”
The administration under President Donald Trump is proceeding with the dismissal of thousands of federal employees who possess limited civil service protections. For instance, approximately 2,000 positions were eliminated from the U.S. Forest Service, and an additional 7,000 layoffs are anticipated at the Internal Revenue Service.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has advocated for budget reductions, stating on X last week that the Pentagon must “eliminate excess (headquarters) and enhance capabilities (warfighters).” The Defence Department stands as the largest government agency, with the Government Accountability Office reporting in 2023 that it employs over 700,000 full-time civilian personnel.
Additionally, Hegseth has instructed the military branches to pinpoint $50 billion in programs that could be eliminated in the upcoming year, with the intention of reallocating those funds to support Trump’s initiatives. This amount constitutes approximately 8 percent of the military’s overall budget.
