WASHINGTON – Thousands of newly hired federal employees were dismissed on Thursday and Friday as President Donald Trump and senior White House official Elon Musk intensified their efforts to reshape the federal workforce.
The layoffs primarily affected probationary employees across various government departments. These workers, who have usually been hired within the last year, are more vulnerable to dismissal since they do not have the same legal protections as permanent employees, such as the ability to challenge their firing.
The terminations were widespread across the government, impacting agencies such as the Department of Education, Small Business Administration, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Forest Service, Department of Veterans Affairs, and the agency responsible for managing the nation’s nuclear arsenal.
The Department of Veterans Affairs announced on Thursday that it had let go of over 1,000 of its approximately 43,000 probationary employees, resulting in an estimated savings of around $98 million.
“While this was a difficult decision, it was ultimately the right one to ensure better support for the veterans, families, caregivers, and survivors that our department is dedicated to serving,” said Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins in a statement.
“U.S. Forest Service and CDC cut 10% of workforce.”
The U.S. Forest Service, part of the Department of Agriculture responsible for overseeing national forests and public lands, laid off approximately 3,400 probationary employees, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. This accounts for almost 10% of the Forest Service’s total workforce of 35,000. The source clarified to USA TODAY that these layoffs do not affect essential roles such as firefighters, law enforcement personnel, bridge inspectors, or meteorologists.
There is concern among Forest Service workers that the next round of cuts could target Schedule A employees, including disabled individuals and veterans working under two-year probationary terms.
The firings escalated after the expiration of President Trump’s buyout offer on Wednesday night. This offer, available to most federal workers, provided eight months’ worth of pay and benefits through September in exchange for immediate resignation. About 75,000 federal workers accepted the buyout, representing about 3.3% of the workforce, which was below the White House’s target of 5% to 10% of workers taking the deal.
A spokesperson from the Office of Personnel Management confirmed the layoffs, stating that probationary periods are part of the job application process, not a guarantee of permanent employment. The spokesperson explained that agencies are making these cuts due to the recent hiring freeze and in line with the President’s efforts to restructure and improve the federal government’s efficiency.
CDC, Interior, Energy Face Cuts
On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) laid off nearly 1,300 probationary workers, making up about 10% of its workforce, according to the Associated Press.
In addition, the Department of the Interior, which oversees federal lands, terminated at least 2,300 employees, or about 4% of the department’s staff. This includes 800 workers from the Bureau of Land Management and around 1,000 National Park Service employees.
Taylor McKinnon, southwest director of the Center for Biological Diversity, criticized the layoffs, saying, “These harsh and careless firings will harm national parks across the country and push endangered species closer to extinction.”
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also fired 388 probationary employees after a thorough review of agency functions, which followed President Trump’s executive orders, said EPA spokesperson Jeff Landis.
The Department of Energy terminated between 1,200 and 2,000 workers, including dozens from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), which manages the U.S. nuclear weapons program and works to secure radiological materials globally.
An Energy Department spokesperson stated, “This week, less than half of a percent of the total NNSA workforce was dismissed,” and reassured that the department would continue its essential work in safeguarding national security and nuclear deterrence.
However, at least 110 NNSA employees initially slated for dismissal were later reinstated, according to Jill Hruby, a former NNSA administrator under the Biden administration. She warned in an email to USA Today, “The impact will be felt for years as these were highly skilled, mostly STEM-trained personnel dedicated to national security.”
Education Department, SBA Targeted by Federal Budget Reductions
Over 60 probationary employees at the Department of Education received termination notices across various departments, including general counsel, special education and rehabilitation services, and federal student aid.
One such notice, obtained by USA TODAY, stated, “The agency finds, based on your performance, that you have not demonstrated that your further employment at the agency would be in the public interest,” directed at a federal student aid employee.
Similarly, hundreds of probationary workers at the Small Business Administration (SBA) were also laid off. Politico reported that 720 SBA employees were terminated, which amounts to approximately 20% of the agency’s workforce.
Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents around 800,000 federal workers, criticized the Trump administration for “discarding essential talent needed for effective agency operations in the future.” He vowed that the union would fight these terminations.
Kelley said, “This administration has exploited the probationary period for a politically motivated mass firing campaign, targeting employees not for performance issues but because they were hired before Trump took office. These firings aren’t about poor performance—there is no evidence these employees weren’t dedicated public servants. This is about wielding power.”
Musk Pushes for the Elimination of Entire Agencies
Future cuts are expected to extend beyond probationary employees.
Trump, with Musk by his side, signed an executive order to shrink the government by reducing federal agencies. Musk, leading the Department of Government Efficiency, aims to eliminate entire agencies, stating, “If we don’t remove the roots, the weed will grow back.” They’ve already moved to shut down USAID and the CFPB, with Trump targeting the Education Department next, calling it a “big con job.”
“Trump and Musk Intensify Workforce Reform, Leading to Thousands of Firings Across the Federal Sector”
