Pentagon plans to cut 5,400 probationary workers starting next week

The Protection Division stated Friday that it’s slicing 5,400 probationary employees beginning subsequent week and can put a hiring freeze in place.

It comes after staffers from the Division of Authorities Effectivity, or DOGE, had been on the Pentagon earlier within the week and acquired lists of such workers, U.S. officers stated. They stated these lists didn’t embody uniformed navy personnel, who’re exempt. Probationary workers are usually these on the job for lower than a yr and who’ve but to achieve civil service safety.

“We anticipate decreasing the Division’s civilian workforce by 5-8% to supply efficiencies and refocus the Division on the President’s priorities and restoring readiness within the power,” Darin Selnick, who’s appearing undersecretary of protection for personnel and readiness, stated in an announcement.

President Donald Trump’s administration is firing 1000’s of federal employees who’ve fewer civil service protections. For instance, roughly 2,000 workers had been minimize from the U.S. Forest Service, and seven,000 persons are anticipated to be let go on the Inner Income Service.

Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth has supported cuts, posting on X final week that the Pentagon wants “to chop the fats (HQ) and develop the muscle (warfighters.)”

The Protection Division is the most important authorities company, with the Authorities Accountability Workplace discovering in 2023 that it had greater than 700,000 full-time civilian employees.

Hegseth additionally has directed the navy providers to determine $50 billion in packages that may very well be minimize subsequent yr to redirect these financial savings to fund Trump’s priorities. It represents about 8% of the navy’s funds.