The US government has begun a sweeping dismissal of thousands of employees across multiple agencies, as President Donald Trump and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk push forward with their drastic restructuring of federal bureaucracy. The move, which has already affected numerous departments, has been met with sharp criticism and legal challenges, with some branding it a reckless purge.
Widespread layoffs across agencies
Sources from federal agencies and unions have confirmed that terminations have taken place across a range of departments, with many of those affected being recently hired employees still within their probationary period.
The Department of Veterans Affairs, which provides healthcare to former military personnel, announced the dismissal of over 1,000 probationary employees. Meanwhile, the US Forest Service is set to cut more than 3,000 workers.
Termination emails have been sent in the past 48 hours to employees at agencies including the Department of Education, the Small Business Administration, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the General Services Administration (GSA), which oversees the management of federal buildings.
Musk’s involvement in the restructuring appears to be expanding, with his aides making their first official visits to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Additionally, US embassies have reportedly been instructed to prepare for staff reductions.
Trump and Musk defend layoffs
President Trump has justified the mass firings by arguing that the federal government is overly bloated and suffers from inefficiencies, waste, and fraud. He highlighted that the US government currently holds approximately $36 trillion in debt and ran a $1.8 trillion deficit last year, with broad bipartisan recognition of the need for reform.
Musk, who has been given substantial authority in overseeing government efficiency, has refrained from public comment, though his cost-cutting initiative—officially named the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—has been actively involved in reshaping the workforce.
A White House spokesperson defended the dismissals, stating:
“The Trump administration is encouraging agencies to use the probationary period as it was intended: as a continuation of the job application process, not an entitlement for permanent employment.”
Beyond probationary employees
While the initial layoffs focused primarily on probationary staff, reports suggest that firings at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have extended beyond this group. Sources have confirmed that dozens of term employees—full-time workers with fixed-term contracts—have also received termination notices.
Meanwhile, Politico has reported that the US Forest Service is set to dismiss 3,400 probationary employees at all levels, although frontline firefighters will be exempted.
The Department of Veterans Affairs justified its own terminations by stating that they will save the department approximately $98 million annually, with funds redirected towards healthcare and services for veterans.
At the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which serves as the human resources hub for the US government, all probationary staff were dismissed via a group video call and instructed to leave the agency’s headquarters in Washington, DC. OPM officials later met with leaders from other government agencies, advising them to follow suit with their own probationary terminations.
Legal challenges and growing opposition
As the layoffs unfolded, a coalition of 14 states filed a federal lawsuit in Washington, arguing that Trump’s appointment of Musk to oversee government downsizing was unlawful. The lawsuit claims that Musk has been granted “unchecked legal authority” without Congressional approval.
Labour rights advocates have also raised concerns, noting that most civil service employees can typically only be dismissed for poor performance or misconduct and are entitled to due process protections. However, probationary employees have fewer legal safeguards, making them more vulnerable to mass terminations.
One of the termination letters sent to at least 45 Small Business Administration workers stated:
“The Agency finds that you are not fit for continued employment because your ability, knowledge and skills do not fit the current needs, and your performance has not been adequate to justify further employment with the Agency.”
Similarly, at the Department of Education, at least 160 recent hires received letters informing them that their continued employment “would not be in the public interest.” President Trump, who has long been vocal about his desire to dismantle the Department of Education, reaffirmed this position on Wednesday.
At the GSA, around 100 probationary employees were dismissed on Wednesday, including one worker who told Reuters that he had received excellent performance reviews but was still being let go just one month before the end of his probationary period.
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“Up until two weeks ago, this was an absolute dream job. Now it’s become an absolute nightmare because of what is going on. I have small children and a mortgage to pay,” he said.
Musk’s expanding influence in the federal government
The firings are part of a broader restructuring effort led by Musk’s DOGE, which has been tasked with implementing significant workforce reductions across government agencies. The initiative has already led to Musk’s personnel gaining access to highly sensitive government systems, including financial and personnel records.
On Thursday, Gavin Kliger, a senior official within DOGE, made his first visit to the IRS—an agency that has long been a target of Republican criticism. GOP lawmakers have accused the agency, without evidence, of unfairly targeting small businesses and middle-class Americans under the previous Biden administration.
Future implications
The sweeping nature of these dismissals suggests that the Trump administration’s efforts to streamline government operations are far from over. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that around 75,000 federal workers have already signed up for voluntary buyouts—a figure equivalent to 3 per cent of the civilian federal workforce.
As Musk’s team continues its deep involvement in federal affairs, government agencies remain on high alert for further staff reductions. With legal challenges mounting and opposition growing, the fate of thousands of civil service workers hangs in the balance.
Whether the controversial reforms will ultimately improve efficiency or create a bureaucratic crisis remains to be seen. However, one thing is clear: the Trump-Musk partnership is reshaping the landscape of the American government in unprecedented ways.
