The Effects of DOGE on Federal Employees
In his first month of presidency, Donald Trump has focused on reducing government spending and making agencies more controlled. The Trump Administration wants the federal government to be efficient and smaller so that it can better understand the inner workings of departments.
Elon Musk is in charge of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), working with White House leaders to make Trump’s goal possible.
After a “deferred resignation” proposal by the team in an effort to layoff employees without firing them, about 75,000 federal employees took the offer and are no longer associated with their department, the Office of Personnel Management said.
While the DOGE initiative has been a work in progress, more and more jobs are being taken away and concerns are growing about its long-term economic impact.
Below are a few of the effects of DOGE on many federal departments and how it will change the future of government control.
Defense Department
A recent update from the Defense Department, the government’s largest agency, reported that they are firing 5,400 probationary workers and will stop hiring processes.
Probationary workers are those who have had their job for less than a year and do not have civil service protection yet. This cut for workers does not include uniformed military personnel, though, and solely serves as a way to regain readiness and force.
The Government Accountability Office found in 2023 that it had more than 700,000 full-time civilian workers. The effects of DOGE will significantly impact the size of the department in 2025.
Education Department
Special education and student aid workers have recently been fired from the Education Department, which could fundamentally impact the federal education system.
As of a week ago, a union representing agency employees reported that at least 39 people have been fired from the department.
Further, the Institute of Education Services is struggling to survive as about $900 million in cuts are being processed to save the agency money. These funds track the education for American students, and it is unclear if the government will be able to continue this institute.
Energy Department
According to the AP, hundreds of workers assigned with nuclear weapon programs were dismissed on Feb. 13. The decision was revoked hours later, as U.S. officials talked about how the employees were driven out.
Close to 350 workers at the National Nuclear Security lost access to their email before even finding out about their dismissal.
Department of Homeland Security
The Department of Homeland Security stated that 405 probationary workers were laid off, including workers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
A little more than 200 cuts came from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Additionally, the agency’s chief financial officer, a grant specialist and two analysts were fired over reimbursements to hotels in New York City for migrants.
About 180 workers were let go from Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which benefits government election systems and immigration guidelines.
The Future of Government
With the Trump Administration’s goal of creating a more efficient government, the effort seems to be starting from the ground up. The Defense Department, Education Department, Energy Department, and Department of Homeland Security are just a few of the agencies in the federal government that are being adjusted by Musk and his team.
As federal workers are being asked to leave, new strategies are being implemented to streamline operations, reduce civil service, and develop advanced technologies.
Check out this recent article titled Meta’s High-Speed Shift for 2025!
