Thousands of US federal employees are facing job cuts as President Donald Trump and his top adviser, Elon Musk, push forward with a sweeping downsizing of the government.
The latest round of layoffs is expected to continue on Friday, intensifying concerns among public sector workers.
According to a Reuters report, several government agencies, including the Department of Veterans Affairs, Education, and the Small Business Administration, have already dismissed a significant number of probationary employees—workers hired in the last two years who are easier to terminate.
Data from the federal government indicates that roughly 280,000 of the 2.3 million civilian federal employees fall into this category, the report said.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which oversees federal hiring, has reportedly advised agencies to move forward with dismissing these employees.
Meanwhile, Trump and Musk’s overhaul appears to be expanding.
Musk’s aides were seen arriving at the Internal Revenue Service on Thursday, while US embassies have been told to prepare for workforce reductions.
Trump has repeatedly argued that the federal government is overstaffed and inefficient, pointing to the nation’s $36 trillion debt and last year’s $1.8 trillion budget deficit.
While Republicans in Congress have largely backed the administration’s efforts to cut spending, Democrats have criticized the move, warning that Trump is bypassing the legislature’s authority over federal budgets.
Critics have also expressed concern over Musk’s role in shaping government restructuring, questioning whether the billionaire’s aggressive cost-cutting strategies—similar to those he implemented at Twitter (now X)—are appropriate for the federal workforce.
Beyond probationary employees, layoffs are also hitting those on fixed-term contracts, particularly at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
The Trump administration has made clear that it intends to shrink the civil service, citing inefficiencies and bureaucratic resistance to White House policies.
Efforts to encourage voluntary resignations have seen some success, with approximately 75,000 employees—about 3% of the civilian workforce—accepting buyout offers, according to the White House.
Additionally, the administration has proposed deep cuts to foreign aid, sought to strip civil-service protections, and attempted to shut down agencies like the CFPB and the US Agency for International Development.
As the federal government braces for further cuts, employees remain on edge, awaiting the next phase of Trump and Musk’s radical restructuring plan.
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