Pentagon to Cut 5,400 Civilian Workers and Impose Hiring Freeze Amid Budget Reshuffle

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has announced that it will lay off 5,400 probationary civilian employees starting next week, alongside implementing a hiring freeze as part of a broader effort to streamline operations and reallocate funds toward military readiness. The move comes under the directive of President Donald Trump's administration, which has been pushing for federal workforce reductions across multiple agencies.

Who Will Be Affected?

According to U.S. officials, the layoffs will not impact uniformed military personnel, as they are exempt from the cuts. Instead, they will primarily target probationary employees—those who have been on the job for less than a year and have not yet gained civil service protection. This makes them particularly vulnerable to workforce reductions, as they do not have the same job security as tenured government employees.

Why the Pentagon Is Making These Cuts

The decision aligns with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s vision of cutting unnecessary bureaucratic positions and redirecting resources to warfighters and military readiness. Hegseth has been vocal about reducing administrative overhead, recently posting on X (formerly Twitter) that the Pentagon needs to “cut the fat (HQ) and grow the muscle (warfighters).”

Acting Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Darin Selnick echoed this sentiment, stating that the DoD aims to reduce its civilian workforce by 5–8% to enhance efficiency and prioritize Trump’s defense policies.

A Broader Trend in Federal Workforce Cuts

The Pentagon's job reductions are part of a wider government restructuring effort under the Trump administration. Other agencies have also seen significant layoffs, including:

• The U.S. Forest Service, which has already cut 2,000 employees.
• The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), where 7,000 more jobs are expected to be eliminated.

The administration has framed these cuts as necessary to reduce government spending, though critics argue they could impact essential services.

$50 Billion in Additional Defense Budget Cuts Planned

In addition to the 5,400 job cuts, Secretary Hegseth has directed all military branches to identify $50 billion worth of programs that can be eliminated in the next fiscal year. This represents an 8% reduction in the Pentagon’s overall budget, with savings expected to be redirected toward Trump’s military priorities.

The Defense Department remains the largest U.S. government agency, employing over 700,000 full-time civilian workers as of 2023. However, with these new budgetary constraints and workforce reductions, the Pentagon’s structure is set to undergo major changes in the coming months.

What’s Next?

The immediate impact of these layoffs will be felt within the DoD’s administrative and support divisions, while larger structural changes to the Pentagon’s budget and personnel strategy are still unfolding. With the Trump administration prioritizing military strength over bureaucracy, the coming months may see even deeper cuts to civilian roles while funds are funneled into combat forces and defense modernization efforts.

For thousands of federal employees, the uncertainty surrounding their jobs continues to grow as Washington reshapes its approach to defense spending and workforce management.