Layoffs, hiring freeze: Pentagon to cut civilian workforce by 5%
Shafaq News/ The US Department of Defense (Pentagon) has announced plans to reduce its civilian workforce by at least 5%, aligning with President Donald Trump’s broader push to shrink the federal workforce.
Senior Pentagon official Darin Selnick said the cuts aim to “enhance efficiency and refocus the department on the president’s priorities.”
“We expect to lay off approximately 5,400 probationary employees starting next week as part of this initial phase. Following that, we will implement a hiring freeze while conducting further analysis of our staffing needs.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reinforced the decision, arguing that retaining these employees was “not in the public interest.” He emphasized that the layoffs would focus on underperforming probationary employees who, he claimed, “are the easiest to let go.”
Hegseth also announced that a committee led by Elon Musk would have broad access to the Pentagon to scrutinize Democratic policies, particularly those promoting diversity.
President Donald Trump has directed Musk to spearhead sweeping budget cuts, including a significant reduction in government staff and the elimination of programs that support women and minorities.
Hegseth stated that the Government Efficiency Committee (GEC) would work to identify wasteful spending and eliminate what he described as the “last remnants of Joe Biden’s woke agenda.”
“The Pentagon will no longer be distracted by climate change policies or social justice initiatives that do not align with our core mission,” Hegseth declared.
