According to a senior official, approximately 20,000 bureaucrats have accepted the “buyout” offer proposed by the Trump administration last week. This figure represents about one percent of the total federal workforce. The White House’s ultimate goal is to cut the bureaucracy by five to ten percent.
The buyout window remains open until Thursday, so the final tally of acceptances is likely to increase. “We expect more to come. If you see what’s happening at USAID, it’s just one piece of the puzzle,” the unnamed official told Axios, referring to the radical overhaul of the United States Agency for International Development. USAID is being effectively dismantled and having its functions absorbed into the U.S. State Department. The Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) determined it was unsalvageable.
In addition to managing voluntary departures, the administration is attempting to enforce a hiring freeze across federal agencies. However, implementing this has been challenging, with some agencies continuing to hire new staff.
Under the buyout offer, federal employees cease in-person work almost immediately—instead being directed to work from home—while still receiving their salary until September 30.
