The Trump administration has directed federal agencies to prepare for large-scale job cuts as part of a plan to reduce government size. Agencies must submit their workforce reduction plans by March 13 and propose restructuring measures by April 14, including moving offices to cheaper locations.

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The Office of Management and Budget and Office of Personnel Management issued a memo Wednesday (Feb 26), instructing agencies to identify non-essential positions and consider eliminating or merging departments. Job cuts could begin by June, with full restructuring by September 30.

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Who will be affected?

The memo does not specify how many jobs will be cut but says agencies should start with employees deemed non-essential during government shutdowns. Some groups are exempt, including the following:  

- Law enforcement and national security personnel  
- Uniformed military members  
- Political appointees  
- Employees of the Executive Office of the President and the US Postal Service  
- Workers in agencies like Social Security and Medicare, unless their services remain unaffected  

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A push for government downsizing  

The move follows Trump’s February 11 executive order on cutting government jobs, backed by billionaire adviser Elon Musk. Standing beside Trump in the Oval Office, Musk said, “The people voted for major government reform.”

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The administration has already offered voluntary resignations through a programme called “Fork in the Road,” which allowed workers to continue receiving pay through September if they quit in February. About 75,000 employees took the offer.

(With inputs from agencies )