The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has initiated sweeping federal workforce reductions under the Trump administration, resulting in over 75,000 resignations and terminations. From probationary employee dismissals to agency-wide restructuring, these cuts are disrupting operations at the CDC, Department of Veterans Affairs, and Education Department while sparking legal battles over transparency.
A federal judge halted DOGE's 'deferred resignation' incentive program hours before its February 6 deadline, following union lawsuits alleging procedural violations.
'The use of federal resources to advance Marxist equity policies wastes taxpayer dollars,'stated OMB acting director Matthew Vaeth in a contested memo justifying grant freezes affecting trillions in healthcare and education funds.
Key agency impacts include:
- 1,300 CDC probationary staff terminated (10% of workforce)
- 1,000+ Department of Veterans Affairs researchers dismissed
- 5,000 National Park Service seasonal roles initially axed
- 350 nuclear security employees briefly locked out
The administration has ordered 'large-scale reductions in force' targeting workers with less than one year of service - a group totaling 220,000 federal employees. Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) confirmed specialists studying cancer treatments and burn pit exposure were among those terminated at the VA.
Legal challenges continue mounting as lawmakers contest funding pauses already authorized by Congress. While 17 inspector generals have been fired since January, career Justice Department prosecutors involved in Trump-related investigations were unexpectedly dismissed - a break from traditional nonpartisan continuity.
With IRS staff cuts looming mid-tax season and education grant tracking systems defunded, experts warn of cascading service disruptions.
'This purge undermines everything from election security to environmental protection,'argued Senate leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), though some seasonal park positions were later reinstated.
As federal unions negotiate with the administration, the workforce reduction tally remains fluid. What began as a Washington-focused efficiency initiative now impacts 20% of the nation's 2.4 million civil servants living outside the capital region, reshaping government operations for years to come.
