Because of recent litigation, the Defense Department has had to pause its effort to terminate around 5,400 probationary civilian employees, but senior officials said today the Pentagon still plans to cut between 5% and 8% of its total civilian workforce one way or another.
A senior defense official who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity said DOD is -- for now -- mostly focused on cutting jobs via its deferred resignation program and an ongoing hiring freeze.
Civilians that have been approved for the DRP, the official said, amount to nearly 21,000 jobs that will likely be shed before the end of the year.
The official said more than 21,000 people applied for the DRP, though most have been accepted.
The hiring freeze, meanwhile, means DOD is forgoing the hiring of approximately 6,000 civilians per month, roughly 70,000 annually.
The official said the military services and under secretary of defense for personnel have the authority to grant exemptions to the hiring freeze if needed.
Because of ongoing litigation, the official said DOD is unable to comment on its plans to shed 5,400 probationary employees this month but noted the employees who were part of those planned reductions were considered because of performance-related issues.
“The department is committed to fully complying with every applicable court order regarding the process,” the official said.
A federal judge in Maryland has temporarily ruled against the termination of probationary employees at several federal agencies, ordering they be put on paid administrative leave. A second federal judge in California has ruled the employees must be reinstated. The Trump administration is appealing both decisions.
Still, if DOD is to cut 5% to 8% of its nearly 800,000-strong civilian workforce, the department will need to eliminate between 40,000 and 64,000 jobs. Veterans account for approximately 46% of DOD’s total civilian workforce.
“We do understand some veterans will be a part of the removal,” the official said.
The official noted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has ordered the cuts in response to a White House directive, has other options open to him to achieve the Trump administration’s desired level of downsizing, like offering incentives for separation or ordering a reduction in force (RIF).
“It will be the secretary’s prerogative to designate how and when he might use any of the other tools that would be available to him to achieve the stated reduction targets,” the official said.
Work is also being done, according to the official, to ensure the elimination of civilian employees doesn't increase the burden on military personnel, though the process remains a “very active, very live process.”
“The 5% to 8% reduction is not a drastic one,” the official said. “It is one the secretary is confident can be done without negatively impacting readiness.”