The Pentagon has announced plans to eliminate around 5,400 probationary employees beginning next week and will implement a hiring freeze across the department. This decision follows an evaluation by the Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, which visited the Pentagon earlier this week and provided officials with a list of employees targeted for layoffs. Notably, these layoffs do not affect uniformed military personnel, who are exempt from this action. Probationary employees, typically those employed for less than a year without full civil service protections, are the primary focus of this workforce reduction.
Darin Selnick, the acting undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, explained that the aim of these cuts is to decrease the civilian workforce by 5-8% in order to enhance efficiency and align the Department with the President’s goals, particularly in restoring military readiness.
The current wave of layoffs aligns with previous actions taken by the Trump administration, which has been systematically reducing federal staffing levels, especially among those with limited civil service protections. For example, approximately 2,000 positions were eliminated within the U.S. Forest Service, while another 7,000 job cuts are anticipated at the Internal Revenue Service.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been vocal in his support for these reductions, emphasizing the need for the Pentagon to streamline operations. Last week, he expressed on social media that it is necessary for the military to “cut the fat (HQ) and grow the muscle (warfighters).”
As the largest federal agency, the Defense Department employs over 700,000 full-time civilian workers, according to findings from the Government Accountability Office in 2023. Furthermore, Hegseth has tasked military services with identifying up to $50 billion in potential budget cuts next year, with the intention of reallocating those resources to support the priorities set by the Trump administration. This budget reduction effort represents approximately 8% of the military’s overall funding.
