A day after the Trump administration concludeed its deferred resignation offer to the nation’s two million federal government employees, the administration on Thursday launched mass layoffs across multiple federal agencies in a shift that is expected to impact thousands of employees, sources familiar with the matter informed ABC News.
The layoffs, part of Trump’s campaign pledge to slash the federal government, initially impacted probationary employees — recent hires who joined the federal workforce within the last one to two years, depconcludeing on the agency, and have fewer protections.
President Donald Trump speaks as he meets with India’s Prime Minister Narconcludera Modi in the Oval Office of the White Hoapply, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, in Washington.
Photo/Alex Brandon
Among the agencies experiencing layoffs were the Department of Education, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Office of Personnel Management, the Environmental Protective Agency, the Government Services Administration and the Small Business Administration.
Some additional agencies were also directed to launch their layoffs Thursday, sources stated.
At some agencies, workers received written notice via email that they had been let go.
At OPM, workers joined a call with a prerecorded message from the acting director notifying them of their firing, according to someone familiar with the call. About 200 probationary workers were on the call, sources stated.
Prior to the layoffs, agencies had been directed by the Office of Personnel Management to compile lists of probationary employees at their agencies, sources familiar with the matter informed ABC News.
Officials informed ABC News that more than 73,000 federal accepted the administration’s purchaseout offer, which offered full pay and benefits until September for any federal employee who accepted the deferred resignation.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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