Trump Planning Major Staff Cuts To Dozens More Agencies: Report

A newly surfaced memo from the Trump administration outlines an ambitious plan to downsize federal agencies, with the Treasury Department set to lose a third of its workforce and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) facing a 50% reduction.

The document, reportedly drafted last week, coincides with upcoming Reductions in Force that will significantly shrink government payrolls. President Trump has tasked federal agency leaders with formulating their own downsizing strategies, with large-scale layoffs expected to start next month, according to the Washington Post.

Among the agencies targeted for substantial cuts, the Small Business Administration is set to see a 43% reduction, while HUD will lose half of its employees, as outlined in the memo reviewed by the Post.

The Department of Education, under Secretary Linda McMahon, has been directed to trim its workforce by 50%, a move projected to save $6 billion. Meanwhile, an 8% reduction in the Justice Department is estimated to generate an additional $1.9 billion in savings.

The National Science Foundation, which has historically enjoyed bipartisan support, faces a 28% cut, while the Commerce Department is looking at a 30% reduction.

At the Treasury Department, which oversees the Internal Revenue Service, cuts are expected to reach 30%.

Trump’s cabinet officials have been praising the cost-cutting initiatives introduced by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, highlighting them in cabinet meetings and public appearances.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins emphasized the administration’s commitment to these efforts, telling DailyMail.com that "the bottom line is that the entire cabinet is aligned, is supportive and understands the president’s vision that is being effectuated by Elon Musk and in partnership with all of the agencies, of course USDA, one of the largest agencies, over 100,000 employees … some of the Reductions in Force that we’re doing. We will never stop working for the American people."

Rollins did not comment on emails sent to terminated probationary employees, which stated that "based on your performance, you have not demonstrated that your further employment at the agency would be in the public interest." Some of those dismissed had roles in food safety inspections, a crucial area given the administration’s ongoing response to a bird flu outbreak.

Harrison Fields, when asked by DailyMail.com about the memo’s contents, stated, "It’s no secret the Trump Administration is dedicated to downsizing the federal bureaucracy and cutting waste, fraud, and abuse."

He added, "This document is a pre-deliberative draft and does not accurately reflect final reduction in force plans. When President Trump’s Cabinet Secretaries are ready to announce reduction in force plans, they will make those announcements to their respective workforces at the appropriate time."

At the Department of Health and Human Services, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has announced a restructuring plan that will eliminate 20,000 positions, reducing staff numbers from 82,000 to 62,000. This initiative is expected to generate $1.8 billion in savings.

"The restructuring will address this and serve multiple goals without impacting critical services," the agency stated in an earlier release.

An HHS fact sheet outlines that the plan involves cutting 3,500 full-time positions at the Food and Drug Administration, 2,400 at the Centers for Disease Control, and 1,200 at the National Institutes of Health. Speaking with Bret Baier on Fox News, Musk discussed the anticipated savings but did not provide specifics on the total amount "so far."

"At a high level … we want to reduce the spending by eliminating waste—reduce the spending by 15%. Which seems really quite achievable. The government is not efficient and there is a lot of waste and fraud," Musk said during the interview.

He also acknowledged past missteps, including instances where nuclear safety workers were dismissed and later rehired. "When we do make mistakes we correct them quickly and we move on," Musk remarked.