In a significant shake-up of the Pentagon’s civilian workforce, the Department of Defense announced plans to begin cutting more than 5,000 probationary employees starting next week. The move is part of a broader effort to eventually trim 5 to 8 percent of the department’s civilian workforce, according to acting Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Darin Selnick.
“We anticipate reducing the Department’s civilian workforce by 5-8% to produce efficiencies and refocus the Department on the President’s priorities and restoring readiness in the force,” Selnick said in a statement Friday. “We expect approximately 5,400 probationary workers will be released beginning next week as part of this initial effort, after which we will implement a hiring freeze while we conduct a further analysis of our personnel needs, complying as always with all applicable laws.”
The cuts, which will primarily impact employees still within their first year on the job, are in line with the Trump administration’s broader effort to downsize the federal workforce. Internal Pentagon communications indicate that military commands have been directed to identify which probationary employees will be let go and which should be retained.
A Push for Workforce Efficiency
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth previewed the move in a video statement Thursday, defending the cuts as a necessary measure to streamline the Pentagon’s operations.
“Taxpayers deserve to have us take a really thorough look at our workforce top to bottom — and it will be top to bottom — to see where we can find and eliminate redundancy,” Hegseth said.
He also confirmed that the Pentagon has placed a hiring freeze on new civilian employees while officials assess how to implement a “performance-based standard” for future hiring and retention.
Legal Questions Loom Over Mass Layoffs
While the administration is moving forward with the reductions, legal experts have raised concerns that the cuts could violate Title 10, Section 129a of the U.S. Code. The law requires the Pentagon to assess how major personnel changes might impact military readiness before executing such layoffs.
CNN reported earlier this week that the administration may be acting without conducting the required analysis. However, there is no indication that the Pentagon intends to pause the cuts, which are being overseen by the Department of Government Efficiency.
Part of a Larger Federal Workforce Reduction
The Pentagon’s layoffs come amid broader federal job cuts under President Trump. In his first month in office, thousands of federal employees have already been dismissed, including 1,000 from the Department of Veterans Affairs last week.
As the Pentagon moves forward with its workforce reduction, military officials and lawmakers will likely continue to debate the long-term impact on defense operations and national security. However, for the 5,400 probationary employees set to lose their jobs next week, the decision has already been made.
