WASHINGTON − The Defense Department has sent lists of its probationary employees to the Trump administration, according to a senior official, as the Pentagon braces for layoffs that have rocked other parts of the federal government in recent weeks.
It’s not clear how many employees would be cut from the Pentagon’s ranks. NPR reported one circulating memo called for an 8% cut to the department.
The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to confirm reports that the lists were submitted. The Office of Personnel Management did not respond to a request for comment.
One probationary Army employee said tensions were running high after he and his team were warned that military leadership had to justify “certain positions to keep staff in place.” The employee asked to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation.
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“It’s just the anxiety of waiting for the shoe to drop,” said an employee at a Marine base who is not in the probationary period, but works with one person who is.
“This will be detrimental to areas that rely on military bases for employment,” she said.
“We welcome DOGE to the Pentagon,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said last week, referring to the Department of Government Efficiency, Elon Musk’s government slashing task force. “There is waste, redundancies, and headcounts at headquarters that need to be addressed,” he added.
On Friday, DOGE said on X that it had a “great kickoff” at the Defense Department.
“Looking forward to working together to safely save taxpayer dollars and eliminate waste, fraud and abuse.” Hegseth responded on Tuesday, writing, “Let’s get to work. DOGE the waste; Double-Down on warriors.”
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Throughout the federal workforce, the Trump administration has spared some employees who could prove their jobs are national security from getting the sack.
Late last week, employees at the National Nuclear Security Administration received layoff letters that were rescinded hours later, fueling speculation that DOGE backtracked after realizing the key role the workers played in maintaining the U.S. nuclear stockpile.
With 3.4 million military and civilian workers and a yearly budget of nearly $850 billion, the Defense Department is the largest in the federal government.
Pentagon is next in DOGE layoff sights as probationary hires are tallied – USA Today
