Thousands of Probationary Employees Fired in Trump’s Federal Workforce Purge

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Alex Jane
February 16, 2025
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7 minutes read

Credit: Doug Mills/The New York Times

The Trump administration has begun its promised mass firing of probationary federal employees, with agencies across the government swiftly dismissing workers. According to NBC News, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) officials met with agency leaders on Thursday to advise them to terminate probationary employees—those who have been in federal service for only one or two years and have not yet secured full civil service protections. While the exact number of affected employees remains unclear, estimates suggest hundreds of thousands could lose their jobs.

In a statement, an OPM spokesperson defended the decision, stating, “The probationary period is a continuation of the job application process, not an entitlement for permanent employment.” They emphasized that these dismissals align with Trump’s efforts to streamline and restructure the government.

However, the move has sparked fierce backlash from federal employee unions. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) denounced the dismissals as a politically motivated purge. AFGE President Everett Kelley stated, “These firings are not about poor performance—there is no evidence these employees were anything but dedicated public servants.

Donald Trump — (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

They are about power. They are about gutting the federal government, silencing workers, and forcing agencies into submission to a radical agenda that prioritizes cronyism over competence.” The mass dismissals coincide with Trump’s broader government overhaul, which includes a buyout program offering seven months of salary to federal employees who voluntarily resign by February 6.

A memo from the Office of Personnel Management, obtained by the Associated Press, outlines a “deferred resignation letter” for employees opting to leave. The memo states, “If you choose not to continue in your current role in the federal workforce, we thank you for your service to your country and you will be provided with a dignified, fair departure from the federal government utilizing a deferred resignation program.”

Several federal agencies have already begun layoffs:

The Department of Veterans Affairs announced the termination of over 1,000 employees, though 43,000 probationary employees remain, with most exempt due to their mission-critical roles or union protections.
The Education Department began dismissing dozens of probationary employees on Wednesday.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is bracing for up to a 50% workforce reduction, with senior managers already identifying employees for termination.
The U.S. Forest Service is expected to cut at least 3,400 workers, according to Dennis Lapcewich of the National Federation of Federal Employees’ Forest Service Council.
As Trump’s aggressive reshaping of the federal workforce continues, critics argue that these actions are less about efficiency and more about consolidating power, while thousands of workers now face uncertainty about their futures.