Trump’s Federal Workforce Overhaul = Bold Reforms for a Leaner Government

President Trump has wasted no time implementing bold reforms to reshape and modernize the federal workforce since returning to office in January 2025. His administration is taking decisive action to improve efficiency, accountability, and streamline operations, despite resistance from entrenched bureaucratic interests.

One of the key initiatives is the "deferred resignation program," a voluntary buyout offer giving federal employees the option to resign by February 6, 2025, while receiving approximately eight months of salary and benefits through September 30, 2025. The administration projects that five to ten percent of the workforce, around 200,000 employees, will take advantage of the program, potentially saving taxpayers up to $100 billion. Supporters see this as a necessary step toward trimming excess and ensuring a more effective government.

Trump has also reinstated a version of his previous Schedule F order, now called Schedule Policy/Career, which is designed to ensure that key policy-influencing roles are filled by individuals who are aligned with the administration’s agenda. By removing outdated civil service protections for these positions, the order makes it easier to hold government employees accountable and remove those who are resistant to change. While some unions have challenged this move, supporters argue it is essential for a more responsive and efficient federal government.

In an effort to restore traditional workplace standards and improve collaboration, a new presidential memo has been issued requiring all federal employees to return to full-time in-person work at their designated duty stations. The administration believes this will enhance productivity and restore the integrity of government operations.

Trump has also launched a sweeping Federal Hiring Plan to eliminate identity-based hiring practices, integrate modern technology into recruitment, and reduce the time-to-hire process to under 80 days. This initiative is expected to make hiring more merit-based, efficient, and competitive.

Furthering his commitment to streamlining bureaucracy, Trump has established the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, within the Executive Office of the President. This new department is focused on modernizing government technology and ensuring federal agencies operate at peak efficiency.
While some critics have pushed back against these initiatives, arguing that they could disrupt government functions, Trump’s supporters see them as long-overdue reforms aimed at cutting waste, boosting accountability, and making the federal workforce more responsive to the needs of the American people. Regardless of the opposition, Trump’s push for a leaner, more efficient government is well underway.