The administration has lifted restrictions imposed during last year’s reductions and created job classifications that make it easier to hire employees aligned with the president’s priorities — and fire those who aren’t. “President Trump was given a clear mandate to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse from the federal government. The Trump administration fired, laid off or accepted buyouts from more than 387,000 employees since the president’s inauguration. At the Social Security Administration, employees in IT, policy and other offices were reassigned to answer phones and handle customer inquiries as call volumes surged. The future of the federal workforce, and whether DOGE is viewed as a success or a misstep, is playing out on the campaign trail, with Democrats working to capitalize on the fallout.

Source: Washington Post March 09, 2026 15:01 UTC