Trump Shrinks Federal Workforce, Disrupting Services and Science

In his first year back in the White House, President Trump dramatically reduced the size of the federal government, cutting tens of thousands of jobs and winding down programs across agencies. Government data show the civilian federal work force fell by about 10 percent this year, leaving roughly 249,000 fewer people on the payroll.

Many departures were voluntary resignations or early retirements; others were layoffs. More than 200 lawsuits have been filed challenging firings, grant freezes and program eliminations, and most remain pending. The administration says the moves were meant to eliminate waste and make government more efficient.

A White House spokeswoman said Mr. Trump had made “significant progress” in those goals and pointed to faster veterans’ claims processing and new in-office work rules. Critics say the cuts have made federal services less dependable. “It’s a disaster,” said Max Stier of the Partnership for Public Service, calling the changes the largest loss of government capacity in U.S.

history. Concrete disruptions have appeared across agencies. The Agriculture Department lost about 20,000 workers, nearly one-fifth of its staff, and farmers have reported difficulty getting routine help or information about grants and conservation projects. Scientific and public‑health programs were also scaled back.

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Tech, World, Us Politics, Federal Workforce, Government Cuts, Epa, Nih