Pentagon to Cut 5% of Civilian Workers, Starting with 5,400 Employees

The Pentagon, or the U.S. Department of Defense, announced that it will be eliminating 5-8% of its civilian personnel in an attempt to make it more efficient and align it with the objectives of President Trump. That involves terminating 5,400 probationary employees who have been newly hired within the last year. The elimination is part of a broader plan to downsize government, led by Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which hopes to eliminate waste and fraud across federal agencies.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth indicated to the Associated Press that the reductions will help eliminate what he sees as extra programs, including those concerning climate change and diversity. The Pentagon is the federal government’s largest agency with an estimated 700,000 civilian workers. Cuts are made at other agencies as well, such as the IRS, NIH, and FAA.

These cuts have been contentious, with some in Congress and the public criticizing the approach. Some have called for Musk to be held more accountable, who has financial interests in companies like Tesla and SpaceX. Republican legislators were criticized at town halls by their base, questioning the fairness and impact of the cuts.

The cuts are part of broader efforts by the Trump administration to shrink the size of government agencies, but they have elicited legal and political challenges.