10,000 federal workers laid off amid Trump & Musk's push to reshape agencies

US President Donald Trump and his adviser Elon Musk, the chief of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), escalated their campaign to drastically reduce the US bureaucracy, with more than 9,500 federal workers terminated on Friday. The layoffs affected employees across departments including Interior, Energy, Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, and Health and Human Services. The job cuts primarily—but not exclusively—targeted probationary employees in their first year, who have fewer job protections.

According to Reuters, the White House said that the firings are in addition to the approximately 75,000 workers who have accepted a buyout offered by Trump and Musk to leave voluntarily. This accounts for about 3% of the 2.3 million-person civilian workforce. Trump argues that the federal government is overly bloated, with excessive waste and fraud. With the national debt at around $36 trillion and a $1.8 trillion deficit last year, there is bipartisan recognition of the need for reform.

However, congressional Democrats argue that Trump is overstepping the legislature’s constitutional authority over federal spending. Meanwhile, most Republicans, who hold majorities in both chambers of Congress, have largely backed the actions. As per Reuters, the rapid and extensive nature of Musk’s efforts has led to growing frustration among some of Trump’s aides over a lack of coordination, including White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.