The Trump administration’s drive to slash and overhaul the government, led by Elon Musk, has already led to tens of thousands of departures.
Federal agencies are facing a deadline on Monday to present their plans for another round of mass firings, the next step in the Trump administration’s drive to shrink the government that figures to further reshape a civil service that has endured tens of thousands of departures.
Some agencies, such as the Department of Health and Human Services, have already announced their layoffs for this round of dismissals, which follows the terminations in February of thousands of probationary federal employees. The cuts have come at the direction of the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, the government overhaul initiative led by the tech billionaire Elon Musk.
The group’s hard-charging effort has cast a pall over the federal work force since Mr. Trump returned to the Oval Office. This week’s plans for the mass firings, called “reductions in force,” should offer a clearer picture of the administration’s vision of a downsized federal government.
Thousands of workers have also resigned voluntarily in recent days, accepting an offer to quit while temporarily being paid — including more than 1,100 people at the National Park Service, according to a person familiar with the details. The incentive applied only in certain departments as Monday’s deadline neared, and was originally pitched in January as a one-time offer.
The Times has interviewed dozens of federal workers who have been fired or expect to be, as well as those who have watched co-workers disappear without any guidance on who would do their work. All spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retribution.
Since Jan. 20, agency supervisors and managers have largely been left in the dark about the personnel changes. Many have come to rely on the news media to learn about their job security, a scientist with the Environmental Protection Agency said. And scant information about the resignation and early retirement offers has left federal workers to seek advice on social media about whether to accept.