Trump Administration Experiences Exodus of Over 150,000 Federal Employees, Recent Analysis Reveals
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The Trump administration has seen a significant number of federal employees leaving their posts since the President took office in January 2017. The reasons for these departures vary, but they are largely attributed to policy shifts, management style, and morale issues related to the administration's approach.
At the helm of one such department was the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Elon Musk, a billionaire Trump ally. However, the two had a falling out, leading to Musk's departure from the role.
One of the key initiatives that contributed to the workforce reductions was the deferred resignation program. This program, which allows employees to leave their positions at a later date, was challenged by labor unions. However, a federal judge cleared the way for it to proceed.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) released a report from Senate Democrats estimating that the DOGE wasted $21.7 billion, with a significant portion of it going to the deferred resignation program. The report also noted that the authors had to rely on news reports and make certain assumptions about the cuts, as the Trump administration seemed to keep Congress and the public in the dark.
Many workers opted to take the deferred resignation offer during a second round, while others chose early retirement programs. As a result, approximately 149,000 employees have left the federal government since January 2017.
The Treasury, Agriculture, Defense, and Health and Human Services departments have experienced significant workforce reductions, with approximately 31,000, 22,000, 20,000, and 13,000 employees leaving, respectively. The Agriculture Department recently informed workers in the Washington, D.C., region that they will need to move hundreds or thousands of miles away if they want to keep their jobs.
Max Stier, the president of the Partnership for Public Service, stated that the cuts have led to "phenomenal waste" and have hurt critical government functions. The Washington Post recently reported that the government is paying 154,000 employees not to work under its deferred resignation program.
It's important to note that the U.S. Agency for International Development has lost around 10,000 employees during this period. The Partnership for Public Service's estimate of employee departures is based on official government reports and news stories, but does not account for workers who may have been reinstated temporarily under court order or those on administrative leave.
In conclusion, the departures were driven by policy shifts, including deregulation and budget cuts, management and morale issues, and general dissatisfaction with the administration's approach to government and internal norms. The exact comprehensive figures for total departures during Trump's tenure are not provided, but specific examples indicate both voluntary resignations due to policy and budgetary shifts and involuntary departures triggered by political and administrative actions.
- The policy shifts initiated by the Trump administration, particularly deregulation and budget cuts, have significantly impacted various federal departments such as the Health and Human Services, leading to a cultural shift within these organizations.
- The fallout between Elon Musk and President Trump, as well as the subsequent implementation of the deferred resignation program, has shed light on the politics surrounding workforce reductions and policy-and-legislation within the Trump administration.
- The general news reporting surrounding the federal workforce reductions has highlighted the impact on various departments like the Agriculture Department, where employees are being asked to relocate or face job loss, thus affecting the health and well-being of these employees and the services they provide.
