In a significant move to reduce the size of the federal government, President Donald Trump has extended buyout offers to nearly all federal employees unwilling to return to in-office work.
An email sent to millions of government employees on Tuesday outlined the administration’s “deferred resignation program,” requiring workers to decide by February 6 if they wished to voluntarily resign in exchange for a severance package. Those who opted in would receive approximately eight months’ salary upon leaving their positions.
According to CBS News, the Trump administration anticipates that up to 10% of federal employees—around 200,000 workers—will accept the offer. Senior officials estimate that this reduction in workforce could save the government up to $100 billion.
Employees who wished to accept the buyout were instructed to reply to the email with “resign” in the subject line. The package guarantees both salary and benefits through September 30.
Certain Federal Employees Exempt from the Offer
While the offer was extended to most federal employees, some groups were exempt, including postal workers, military personnel, immigration officers, and select national security officials.
Additionally, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the government’s HR agency, cautioned that further job cuts could follow.
“We cannot give you full assurance regarding the certainty of your position or agency,” the email warned, adding that employees whose jobs are eliminated in the future would be “treated with dignity.”
This follows a prior mandate from Trump, requiring all federal employees working remotely since the COVID-19 pandemic to return to the office five days a week.
Trump’s Push to Reshape the Federal Workforce
Speaking with CNN, Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff for policy, argued that the federal workforce is “overwhelmingly left of center” and that reducing its size was essential to helping Trump “get control of government.”
Since his campaign, Trump has vowed to cut government spending and reduce the federal workforce. He appointed Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead an advisory group called the “Department of Government Efficiency” (Doge), which focuses on cutting regulations, spending, and personnel. However, Ramaswamy has since stepped down from the role.
Notably, the buyout offer bears similarities to the strategy Musk used when he acquired Twitter (now X) in 2022, where employees were required to email their intent to stay or accept a severance package.
Legal Challenges and Political Backlash
The mass buyout announcement came on the heels of a chaotic day in Washington. Trump had also issued a memo pausing federal grants, loans, and assistance, a move that created widespread uncertainty about which government programs would be affected.
However, a district judge temporarily blocked the order, delaying its implementation until next Monday.
The White House faced mounting pressure to clarify the situation after concerns arose that the order could disrupt Social Security payments and Medicaid access. In response, top Democrats sent a letter to the administration, expressing “extreme alarm” over the funding freeze.
Trump Signs Executive Order Restricting Gender-Affirming Care
In another controversial move on Tuesday, Trump signed an executive order limiting gender-affirming care for minors.
Titled “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation”, the order aims to prohibit individuals under the age of 19 from undergoing medical procedures related to gender transition.
“It is the policy of the United States that it will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called ‘transition’ of a child from one sex to another,” the order states.
However, the practical implementation of the order remains uncertain, and legal challenges are expected.
With these sweeping measures, the Trump administration is aggressively advancing its agenda, setting the stage for fierce political and legal battles in the coming months.
SOURCE: BBC
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