Pentagon Cuts: 60,000 Civilian Jobs to Be Eliminated under Trump's Leadership

The Department of Defense (DOD) is implementing significant changes to its civilian workforce, aiming to realign resources and prioritize mission-critical functions.

According to a senior U.S. defense official, approximately one-third of the employees who will be dismissed are voluntarily leaving through the deferred resignation program. Over 20,000 employees have applied to participate in this program, with approvals being processed and those selected placed on administrative leave.

Strategic Workforce Reduction

The DOD is undertaking a strategic reduction of 5-8% of its civilian workforce, which translates to about 50-60,000 positions. This reduction aims to direct resources and manpower toward mission-critical functions, enhancing the department's lethality, readiness, and warfighting capabilities.

Impact on Veterans

The workforce reduction is expected to affect up to 32,000 veterans who hold civilian jobs within the DOD. The senior U.S. defense official emphasized that decisions regarding workforce reductions are made on a case-by-case basis, considering the critical skills and experience veterans bring to the department.

"We're certainly again looking at case by case as we plan workforce reduction," the official stated. "So there are so many critical skills and experience that veterans have to offer. And that's part of the analysis. When we consider who is contributing to the core mission functions and who should be retained."

Additional Measures

Besides the deferred resignation program, the DOD is implementing other measures to achieve its workforce goals. These include removing certain probationary employees and instituting a hiring freeze.

"The department is a steward of the US taxpayers money," said the official. "We need to be good stewards and accountable for that money and also ensure that we accomplish the mission and have the right focus on the mission."