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Is Pentagon going to fire 60,000 civilians? Here's what we know so far
The Department of Defense plans to cut 50,000 to 60,000 civilian jobs as part of a broader effort to reduce the federal workforce.
The Department of Defense (DoD) plans to cut between 50,000 and 60,000 civilian jobs in the coming months as part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to reduce the federal workforce, according to a report in the Associated Press. The move is part of a 5% to 8% reduction in the Pentagon’s more than 900,000-strong civilian workforce.
Fewer than 21,000 civilian employees have accepted a voluntary resignation plan, known as the “Fork in the Road” offer, designed to ease the transition. To meet its workforce reduction goals, the DoD intends to eliminate approximately 6,000 positions per month by not replacing departing employees.
Concerns over military readiness
While the Pentagon insists the cuts will not undermine military effectiveness, some defense officials and lawmakers worry that unfilled civilian roles could result in service members being reassigned to fill administrative and support jobs. However, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has assured that the reductions will not compromise military readiness.
"The secretary is determined to make sure that combat effectiveness and national security remain the top priorities," the senior defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said.
Impact on veterans and national security
Acknowledging that some military veterans will be affected, the official declined to provide specific numbers but admitted the figure could be in the thousands. The Pentagon is reviewing its personnel case by case to ensure the cuts do not impact critical national security positions.
Three-pronged strategy
The Defense Department plans to achieve the workforce cuts through three methods:
- Voluntary Resignations: Employees are offered buyouts or early retirement packages.
- Probationary Worker Firings: Roughly 5,400 of the 54,000 probationary employees were targeted for termination, but court challenges have temporarily halted these mass firings. Federal judges ordered the rehiring of thousands of probationary workers, citing legal issues with the dismissal process.
- Attrition through Routine Departures: With an average of 70,000 civilians hired annually (around 6,000 per month), the department intends to simply not replace those who leave.
Elon Musk’s DOGE leading the charge
The cuts are part of a larger initiative spearheaded by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency Service (DOGE), an agency created to streamline federal operations and reduce government spending. Since taking office, President Donald Trump has pushed for broad reductions across federal agencies.
The DOGE-led campaign has already resulted in at least 75,000 federal job cuts through deferred resignation buyouts. However, federal judges are currently reviewing lawsuits related to the firing of 24,000 probationary employees across multiple agencies, citing potential legal violations.
