The Trump administration took swift action Thursday to lay off thousands of government employees across at least six federal agencies, marking a more aggressive phase in its effort to reduce the federal workforce.
Trump administration begins mass layoffs across multiple federal agencies
2/13/2025
Officials declined to disclose the total number of planned layoffs but admitted the cuts would far exceed the 77,000 employees who had already accepted voluntary separation offers. The administration’s voluntary resignation program—halted Wednesday after a court ruling—reduced the workforce by just 3%, well short of its 10% target.
“This isn’t about hitting a specific number; it’s about streamlining government operations,” said a senior White House official who spoke on condition of anonymity to explain the administration’s strategy.
The Department of Energy plans to lay off most or all of its 2,000 probationary employees Thursday. In the past 48 hours, at least five other agencies—including the Department of Education, the Office of Personnel Management, the Small Business Administration (SBA), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and the General Services Administration (GSA)—have initiated layoffs.
Elon Musk and his team at the Department of Government Efficiency have also begun reviewing the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) budget and workforce structure for potential cuts, according to another source familiar with Musk’s involvement, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The layoffs have focused primarily on employees in their one- to two-year probationary period, during which federal agencies can dismiss staff without cause.
According to White House and agency officials, the layoffs are expected to escalate in the coming days and weeks as more agencies finalize their workforce reduction plans.
At the SBA, approximately 720 employees—around 20% of its permanent workforce—were terminated, according to a person familiar with the agency’s internal decisions. Meanwhile, the Department of Education fired at least 60 probationary employees on Wednesday and began distributing termination notices to staff in its civil rights office, federal student aid division, communications office, and legal department.
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