President Donald Trump issued a sweeping executive order to reduce the size of the federal workforce, citing the need to increase efficiency, eliminate waste, and restore accountability in government operations.
The order, titled Reforming the Federal Workforce to Maximize Efficiency and Productivity, mandates that federal agencies significantly cut down on hiring, implement large-scale reductions in force, and streamline operations. Under Tuesday’s directive, agencies are limited to hiring one new employee for every four who depart. However, exceptions have been made for positions related to public safety, immigration enforcement, and law enforcement.
“To restore accountability to the American public, this order commences a critical transformation of the Federal bureaucracy,” the order states. “By eliminating waste, bloat, and insularity, my Administration will empower American families, workers, taxpayers, and our system of Government itself.”
There are an estimated two million federal workers, and about 6% of them work full time in the office. About 200,000 are expected to take buyouts by the Trump Administration already, per an earlier order to reduce the size of the workforce through buyouts.
This is the same one-to-four ratio that the first Trump Administration ordered to reduce regulations — only one new regulation could be approved for every four eliminated.
The new executive order enforces a strict hiring ratio across federal agencies. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is required to submit a workforce reduction plan, ensuring agencies adhere to the new hiring constraints. The hiring freeze currently in place for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) remains unaffected.
Each agency will be required to consult with a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Team Lead to assess and approve hiring decisions. Agencies must also submit monthly hiring reports to the United States DOGE Service (USDS) Administrator.
The order directs agencies to prepare for major layoffs, targeting temporary employees and reemployed annuitants. Programs not mandated by law—such as diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives—are prioritized for elimination.
Agency heads must also submit reports within 30 days identifying statutory requirements for their operations and assessing whether departments or subcomponents should be consolidated or eliminated.
The Office of Personnel Management has been tasked with revising suitability criteria for federal employment. New standards include disqualifications for failure to comply with tax obligations, citizenship requirements, nondisclosure agreements, and government resource misuse.
Although the order mandates aggressive workforce reductions, military personnel are explicitly excluded. Agency heads retain discretion to exempt positions deemed necessary for national security, homeland security, or public safety. The OPM Director may also grant exemptions where necessary.
