The Trump administration is enacting significant job cuts at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Pentagon, totaling more than 11,000 positions. These efforts are part of a broader initiative to reduce the overall size of the federal workforce.
Beginning with around 6,000 layoffs at the IRS during tax season, the administration’s plan includes axing over 5,000 jobs at the Pentagon in the following week. The goal is to decrease the civilian workforce by 5 to 8%, with a concurrent hiring freeze. To oversee these layoffs, the Trump administration has enlisted Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) as part of their cost-cutting strategy.
Specifically targeting probationary workers at the IRS, reports indicate that these employees were not considered critical for the filing season. Most Americans have until April 15th to file their taxes, with provisions for extensions under certain circumstances. Probationary employees are typically those with less than a year of service, including long-serving individuals who have transitioned to new roles.
The terminations are expected to impact mostly new and newly promoted employees, with a substantial portion affecting the Small Business/Self-Employed (SBSE) Division. According to an email from SBSE commissioner Lia Colbert, over 3,500 SB/SE hires are set to be terminated by the end of the week. As of the 2023 fiscal year, approximately 83,000 individuals were employed by the IRS.
Many of the roles facing cuts are related to compliance and ensuring that taxpayers meet their obligations to the government. Harvard Kennedy School professor Linda Bilmes emphasized the importance of having accessible resources to assist taxpayers accurately with their payments.
Contrary to the Biden administration’s efforts to bolster the IRS with $80 billion in funding for additional resources and staff, Republicans have opposed these measures due to their advocacy for lower taxes. In a Fox News interview, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick expressed Trump’s aim to eliminate the IRS and shift revenue generation to an «External Revenue Service» focusing on tariffs and taxes on imports.
At the Pentagon, the initial round of layoffs is aimed at approximately 5,400 probationary workers, with further reductions planned to achieve a 5-8% decrease in the civilian workforce. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has endorsed these cuts as a means to streamline operations and prioritize the President’s objectives.
Polling data reveals some public unease regarding Trump’s restructuring of the federal workforce. A Washington Post/Ipsos poll indicates that 54% of Americans disapprove of the administration’s management of the federal government, while 44% approve.
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