The Pentagon announced on Friday its decision to terminate 5,400 probationary employees beginning next week and implement a hiring freeze. This action follows the recent involvement of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in reviewing employee listings at the Pentagon, which officials confirm excludes uniformed military personnel, as they are not affected by these cuts. Probationary workers are those who have been employed for less than a year and have not yet obtained civil service protections.
In a statement, Darin Selnick, acting undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, indicated that the Department aims to reduce its civilian workforce by approximately 5-8%. This move is intended to streamline operations and realign the Department in accordance with the President’s objectives and enhance military readiness.
The Trump administration has taken measures to let go of numerous federal employees with limited civil service protections. Notable examples include the reduction of about 2,000 jobs within the U.S. Forest Service and around 7,000 positions anticipated to be eliminated at the Internal Revenue Service.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth backed the layoffs, emphasizing on social media last week that the Pentagon should focus on eliminating unnecessary positions and reallocating resources toward operational forces. Currently, the Defense Department stands as the most extensive government entity, with more than 700,000 full-time civilian employees reported by the Government Accountability Office in 2023.
Furthermore, Hegseth has instructed military branches to identify $50 billion in program cuts for the following year, intending to reallocate these funds to support the President’s agenda. This financial realignment corresponds to roughly 8% of the military’s overall budget.
