Pentagon to Cut Up to 8% of Civilian Workforce Starting Next Week

The Department of Defense will begin layoffs of 5,400 probationary employees as part of broader workforce reductions under a Trump administration initiative.

The Pentagon announced plans to reduce its civilian workforce by 5% to 8%, equating to 40,000 to 65,000 jobs, starting with 5,400 probationary employees next week.
The layoffs are part of a federal cost-cutting initiative led by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which aims to eliminate redundancies and non-mission-critical positions.
A hiring freeze will follow the initial layoffs as the Department of Defense evaluates its personnel needs and compliance with applicable laws.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized the need to prioritize military readiness and mission-critical roles, while eliminating programs linked to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives from the previous administration.
The reductions have sparked legal challenges and criticism, but courts have so far declined to block the layoffs or DOGE's access to federal agency data.