(The National Pulse)—President Donald J. Trump issued a new executive order on Tuesday, instructing federal agencies to collaborate with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to reduce staff levels and restrict hiring. The directive—which outlines a “workforce optimization initiative” led by DOGE’s Elon Musk—aims to significantly reduce the size of the federal government.
According to a Trump White House fact sheet, the directive tasks agency heads with working alongside DOGE to decrease federal workforce numbers and limit hires to roles deemed “essential.” Additionally, the order includes provisions for agencies to craft plans for “large-scale reductions in force” while evaluating non-essential functions not mandated by law.
The fact sheet notes that with specific exceptions—such as law enforcement, national security, public safety, and immigration enforcement—the hiring policy would permit only one new hire for every four employees who leave.
This initiative marks a continuation of policies following the conclusion of Trump’s initial hiring freeze implemented on his first day in office. The expectation set by the order is to impose substantial constraints on workforce numbers throughout various federal agencies, which aligns with Trump’s long-standing goal of streamlining government operations.
Meanwhile, President Trump’s Office of Personnel Management (OPM) continues to push forward with a buyout offer for career government workers. As of Monday, it is believed that over 65,000 federal employees had accepted a buyout despite a federal judge pausing last week’s acceptance deadline while the policy is being litigated in federal court.
