Washington D.C., February 17, 2025– President Donald Trump and his adviser Elon Musk have fired more than 9,500 federal employees as part of their campaign to reduce U.S. bureaucracy. The move affects workers across key departments, including Interior, Energy, Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, and Health and Human Services.
Mass Layoffs and Buyouts
The Trump administration confirmed that about 75,000 workers have also accepted buyout packages to voluntarily leave their positions. This accounts for 3% of the 2.3 million-person civilian workforce.
Workers impacted include probationary employees with limited employment protections. Among them, nearly 3,400 recent hires at the U.S. Forest Service and 1,000 National Park Service employees lost their jobs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have also seen major staff reductions.
Political Divide Over Cuts
President Trump argues that bureaucratic inefficiency and excessive spending justify the cuts. With $36 trillion in national debt and a $1.8 trillion deficit in 2024, he insists that wasteful spending must be addressed.
However, Democrats accuse Trump of overstepping congressional authority on federal spending. Even some Republicans express concerns about the abrupt scale of layoffs.
Elon Musk’s Role and Concerns
Musk, leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has deployed engineers with little government experience to conduct an agency-by-agency audit. Critics argue his “blunt force” approach prioritizes corporate deregulation over cost-cutting.
Union leaders and fired workers claim these actions favor industry billionaires by removing regulatory oversight. Some agencies, such as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), face potential thousands of additional layoffs, which could impact tax collection ahead of the April 15 filing deadline.
Impact on National Security and Emergency Services
The Department of Energy saw 1,200 to 2,000 job cuts, including 325 from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), which oversees America’s nuclear stockpile. However, some nuclear-related layoffs were reversed due to security concerns.
The reduction in firefighting and forest management budgets also raises alarms. In the wake of devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, federal efforts to hire seasonal firefighters and clear fire hazards have been halted.
Legal Challenges and Union Resistance
Federal unions have filed lawsuits to block the buyout program and prevent further layoffs. A New York federal judge has temporarily barred DOGE from accessing Treasury Department systems, citing concerns over privacy violations and unauthorized access to financial data.
Worker Reactions
Federal employees, especially veterans like Nick Gioia, expressed anger and disbelief at their abrupt dismissal. Gioia, a former Department of Defense worker, said, “I feel betrayed by my country. This isn’t about efficiency—it’s a game.”
Despite the backlash, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended the cuts, calling them “a serious audit of government waste”.
What’s Next?
With ongoing lawsuits and congressional pushback, the administration faces legal and political hurdles in continuing its government downsizing efforts. However, Trump and Musk remain committed to reshaping the federal workforce and cutting costs at an unprecedented scale.
