Trump keeps on with federal workforce firings

The Trump administration is aggressively reshaping the federal workforce, directing agencies to execute large-scale reductions in force (RIFs), as Federal News Network covers in a tri of stories. In an OMB memo, Director Russ Vought, agencies must submit RIF and reorganization plans by 13 March 2025, aiming to eliminate noncritical positions, reports FedNewsNetwork. This follows a hiring freeze and deferred resignation offers, with agencies collaborating with the DOGE to "streamline" operations.

Vought’s directive, citing a “costly, inefficient” government, targets duplicative roles, but experts caution FedNewsNetwork that RIFs are complex and may disrupt morale and productivity. The administration has also fired thousands of probationary employees, a move OMB nominee Dan Bishop defends as necessary to “right-size” the workforce, despite criticism from lawmakers. However, the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) recently reinstated six probationary workers, questioning the legality of their terminations (FedNewsNetwork).

Data from the US Office of Personnel Management indicates past RIFs, like those in the 1990s, often led to service delays and skill gaps, suggesting potential risks for government services, oversight, and defense.