Former President Donald Trump has made a major move to reduce the size of the U.S. government. He has offered many federal workers the chance to leave their jobs voluntarily by February 6, in exchange for severance pay equivalent to about eight months of salary. This buyout plan was announced on Tuesday through a memo from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). This action is part of Trump’s effort to shrink the government, a promise he made during his campaign.
The memo also mentioned that the administration would start applying “enhanced standards of suitability and conduct” to all federal employees. It also warned that more government job cuts might happen in the future.
Katie Miller, a member of the Department of Government Efficiency, which was created by the Trump administration and is led by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, shared on X that the buyout offer was sent to over two million federal employees. The U.S. federal government employed more than three million people as of November, making up about 1.9% of the nation’s civilian workforce. The average federal employee has worked for the government for nearly 12 years.
A senior official from the administration said the White House expects about 5 to 10% of federal workers to accept the buyout, which would save the government an estimated $100 billion.
However, this plan may have a significant impact on the country. If a large number of federal employees accept the buyout, it could cause disruptions in the delivery of government services. The effects of this change are still uncertain and could affect how timely and effective federal services are for the public.
Everett Kelley, the president of the American Federation of Government Employees union, criticized the buyout offer. He argued that it was not truly voluntary but a form of pressure on federal workers who were not seen as loyal to the Trump administration. Kelley warned that removing experienced government workers could cause problems and chaos for the people who rely on government services.
This buyout offer is similar to a message sent to Twitter employees when Elon Musk took over the company in late 2022. Musk, who played a major role in supporting Trump’s campaign, now leads the Department of Government Efficiency, which is focused on reducing the size of the U.S. government.
