Over 150,000 federal employees took advantage of Trump's resignation incentives
The Trump administration's efforts to downsize the federal workforce have resulted in a significant number of employees leaving government service. As of July 2025, at least 148,000 federal employees have departed, either voluntarily or involuntarily, according to various reports [3][4].
In addition to these departures, more than 154,000 federal employees accepted early resignation incentives under a deferred resignation program. These employees are being paid while deferred from work until the end of the fiscal year, which is September 30, 2025 [2].
These workforce reductions are part of a broader effort that included an extended federal hiring freeze, which was initiated in January 2025 and continued through multiple extensions. As a result, the federal civilian workforce (excluding Postal Service employees) has shrunk by around 75,200 in 2025, standing at approximately 2.34 million as of August 2025 [1].
The Partnership for Public Service, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, estimates that the Treasury Department, which includes the IRS, has lost 31,201 employees since the beginning of the administration, the largest total compared with other departments [5].
Critics have argued that the resignation incentives run contrary to the goal of reining in government spending and eliminating waste and inefficiency. Max Stier, the CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, described the situation as a "waste-creation exercise" [6].
Andrew Cabiness, a longtime employee with the IRS, decided to take advantage of a resignation incentive due to the constant threat of being laid off. Like many former federal employees, Andrew has struggled to find a new job [7].
The administration has not provided details about severance or health insurance coverage for those being separated from the Education Department. The labor union representing the workers estimates that nearly 2,100 employees have been fired or left the Education Department [8].
The government is spending more than $7 million a month for employees to stay home on administrative leave at the Education Department [9]. More than 800 employees are expected to be formally separated from the Education Department on Friday [10].
This marks the first comprehensive disclosure from the government about the scale of President Donald Trump's effort to downsize the federal workforce [11]. The total number of departures is likely to change, with more layoffs planned and continued efforts underway in some pockets of the federal bureaucracy to rehire employees deemed essential to operations.
References:
[1] Federal employees: 2.34 million and counting (2025, August 31). Retrieved from https://www.federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/2025/08/federal-employees-2-34-million-and-counting/
[2] Trump administration paying 154,000 federal employees not to work (2025, July 21). Retrieved from https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/21/trump-administration-paying-154000-federal-employees-not-to-work-039969
[3] Federal workforce downsizing: What you need to know (2025, July 20). Retrieved from https://www.govexec.com/management/2025/07/federal-workforce-downsizing-what-you-need-know/160336/
[4] Trump administration's federal workforce downsizing efforts result in over 148,000 employees leaving government service (2025, July 21). Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/07/21/trump-administrations-federal-workforce-downsizing-efforts-result-over-148000-employees-leaving-government-service/
[5] Treasury Department loses the most employees under Trump (2025, July 15). Retrieved from https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/15/treasury-department-loses-the-most-employees-under-trump-040003
[6] Stier: Trump administration's buyouts are a 'waste-creation exercise' (2025, July 22). Retrieved from https://www.federaltimes.com/workforce/2025/07/22/stier-trump-administrations-buyouts-are-a-waste-creation-exercise/
[7] Cabiness: I took a buyout because I felt threatened (2025, July 23). Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/07/23/cabiness-i-took-buyout-because-i-felt-threatened/
[8] Union: Nearly 2,100 Education Department employees have been fired or left (2025, August 5). Retrieved from https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/05/union-nearly-2100-education-department-employees-have-been-fired-or-left-040798
[9] Government spending $7 million a month for Education Department employees on administrative leave (2025, August 3). Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2025/08/03/government-spending-7-million-a-month-for-education-department-employees-on-administrative-leave/
[10] More than 800 Education Department employees expected to be separated on Friday (2025, August 6). Retrieved from https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/06/more-than-800-education-department-employees-expected-to-be-separated-on-friday-040804
[11] Trump administration's federal workforce downsizing efforts result in over 148,000 employees leaving government service (2025, July 21). Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/07/21/trump-administrations-federal-workforce-downsizing-efforts-result-over-148000-employees-leaving-government-service/
- Critics question the efficacy of the administration's workforce reduction policies, arguing that the provision of early resignation incentives may not align with the goal of minimizing government spending, as it could potentially lead to increased expenditure on healthcare and policy-and-legislation matters due to the loss of experienced employees.
- The downsizing of the federal workforce has not been confined to the Education Department; the Treasury Department, including the IRS, has reported a loss of over 31,000 employees since the beginning of the administration, highlighting the broad impact of these policies across different government sectors.
- As the Trump administration continues its efforts to reduce the federal workforce, the implications extend beyond the immediate departures – general news coverage and political discussions are focusing on the potential ramifications for education, health, and other key policy areas, as the departure of skilled personnel could hinder the implementation of effective policies and legislation.
