Trump administration directs OPM career leaders to prepare for 70% cut to staffing, program

[Raine1967]

Source: Federal News Network

..During an internal meeting Friday morning, Trump administration officials directed OPM senior career staff to begin making plans to cut the agency’s workforce and programs by 70%. Multiple sources with direct knowledge of the meeting confirmed the details of the meeting to Federal News Network.

Sources who provided information to Federal News Network on the condition of anonymity said the political leadership at the agency also directed OPM leaders to stop work on anything that is not statutorily required.

Trump administration officials told agency office leaders and associate directors at OPM to prepare briefs over the weekend detailing all of their work and programs that are statutorily required. By Monday, all OPM offices are expected to give political leaders organizational staffing charts with plans for an initial 30% reduction for both federal employees and contractors.

“People around OPM look like they have seen ghost. People are shocked,” a source told Federal News Network by email.

Based on the conversations in Friday morning’s meeting, it’s unclear at this time what components or programs at OPM will be cut as part of the 70% reduction. But it’s likely the cuts will impact Retirement Services, the Federal Employees Health Benefits program, and other major federal programs that OPM runs.

Read more: https://federalnewsnetwork.com/management/2025/01/trump-administration-directs-opm-career-leaders-to-prepare-for-70-cut-to-staffing-programs/

[NotHardly]

1. Hitler had full control of Germany in 53 days, were on day 11

[rubbersole]

3. We have Wi-Fi.

[Joinfortmill]

2. He's trying to dismantle the federal government

And he may succeed. It's reminiscent of 1930s Germany. But, we have 50 State governments, so that will mitigate him somewhat. The only way to fully stop him is impeachnent or an act of God.

[NoonTimeRag]

4. I'm stunned

I've never seen a politician actually over deliver what they promised to do so fast like this. This is historic.

[maxrandb]

10. Hitler was "historic" too

It's OK, trust me. You can pick up that turd with your bare hands, as long as you grab it by the "clean end".

GFY

[Mysterian]

14. Except for lower food prices, lower gas prices, the end of war in Ukraine...

mass deportations, etc. Amirite?

[Cobalt Violet]

23. I didn't notice prices drop on day one.

He's not delivering what he ran on.

[NoonTimeRag]

24. Everyone knows there's a delayed reaction to economic changes

It's not going to be instant and if he said that oh well. However this is more like if in 2016 day one he locked Hillary actually up. Executive actions are fast. You don't have the Titanic swerve instantly and that's been the analogy for finance across the board.

[Cobalt Violet]

31. He said price would be down on day one.

He will be held to the same standard Democrats are always held to. There will be no double standard. He is a failed president already.

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

27. Historically fucked up and chaotic.

FIFY

[KPN]

35. This is an assault. Federal retiree here -- I too am

stunned.

[NoonTimeRag]

41. I suppose downsizing and layoffs

will have to be a part of life for the federal workers like it's always been for private sector now.

[KPN]

43. Umm, the federal workforce has been consistently

downsized since Reagan. Nice try though.

Oh, and welcome to DU?

[FalloutShelter]

6. My niece is pretty high up in Social Security

Management. She just told me they are ordered to back in person in five days. Yea it’s been very scary. Just got word to remove mentions of gender identity from all applications. Re-employed annuitants (retirees that come back) are fired as of today. Probationary employees (with the agency less than 1 yr) are expected to be next out the door.

She is dusting off her resume.

[Joinfortmill]

8. It's gonna be a rough ride.

[Baron2024]

17. You Are Exactly Right

One hope is rebellion in the military should he try and use the military against the American people, which I think that he will. We could have anti-Trump soldiers and officers that are loyal to the Constitution and their Oaths versus pro-Trump soldiers and officers loyal to the Dictator Trump. Civil War.

[RevBrotherThomas]

39. Impeachment won't stop him -

He was impeached 2x and convicted of 34 felonies - and was reelected to the same office from which he was impeached.

The best we can hope for is that Act of God...

[rubbersole]

5. Who's going to clean up this mountain of bullshit?

Genius exempted Slovenians with anchor babies? They could say "fuck this" in 5 languages.

[yellow dahlia]

7. The country is under attack, from within.

They are executing a coup against our governmental infrastructure.

[Joinfortmill]

9. Yup. Stomach churning.

[Tumbulu]

18. Yes, this is a coup

And that is what it needs to be called.

[LonePirate]

11. OPM employed just under 2,900 people under Biden.

A 70% cut takes it to just under 900.

[KPN]

36. The Federal Government is the largest employer in the US. Every one of

those employees are affected by services provided by OPM, without exception. And OPM is only the beginning. In fact, OPM itself sent out an email to every federal employee 2 or 3 days ago with a buyout offer that employees must respond to by Feb 8 if they want to accept it — much like what Musk did in his first few days after buying Twitter. As a federal retiree myself, I have verified this via former federal cohorts who are still employed. I have also seen a report that federal retiree COLAs will be eliminated.

There are a lot of stressed out people in that 2.2 million federal workforce tight now.

This is fucking nuts! Something is going to break.

[Pas-de-Calais]

12. Was wondering when OPM came into range

Retirement Services & FEHB cuts hit ALL Feds.

I called my representative to tell them to speak out for those who cannot.

Start calling folk

[muriel_volestrangler]

13. Don't they need the OPM to run the massive cuts in personnel they want to do elsewhere?

You know, the "resign now and we'll give you redundancy money; or we'll sack you soon" demand. Guess they won't be paying anyone redundancy money after all. Surprise, surprise.

[iemanja]

16. Cut Musk's contracts

That should save a fortune.

[Justice matters.]

19. Except $WASTimuskA is the one ordering the cuts?

Sending 8 Astronauts to die on Mars is expensive...

[Diraven]

21. Also

Musk personally has control of the office that approves contracts now.

[KPN]

37. THIS

This is what I’m going to suggest to my congress folks Monday.

[Javaman]

20. We are heading for a full on crash and burn for the economy.

I’m talking Great Depression levels

[valleyrogue]

22. If so, it will NOT end well for the billionaire class.

What Luigi did will be child's play.

[Bengus81]

33. Yep...saved me from having to post the same thing

[KPN]

38. Major cuts to the nation's largest workforce -- the federal government --

could certainly contribute to that.

[Paladin]

25. Fuck this shit.

Way past time for Democrats to get angry and active, coast-to-coast. While we still have a country left to save.

[BoRaGard]

26. "This will make our massive grifting easier." - G.O.P.

[Puppyjive]

28. Time to strike

We need to support these workers. I think the federal workers need strike. This can't happen
.

[Deminpenn]

30. Federal workers are not allowed to strike

If they did on go on strike, that would be all the justification Trump and company would need to fire them on the spot just like Reagan fired the air traffic controllers.

[Puppyjive]

40. We can slow down

Yes we can. We can call in sick.

[Deminpenn]

29. Have you ever tried to contact OPM?

Tried to when I turned 65 to ask about FEHB vis-a-vis Medicare. I could not even get through to OPM, let alone talk to anyone. Finally, I called CMS and a rep there advised me on what to do.

As a retired fed, retirement services and FEHB are almost completely online now.

Having seen and worked with my share of "contractors", they'd be the first ones out the door if I had my way. My experience was what contractors did was go to career civil servants for information, then present it as their own.

[The Madcap]

32. Nothing wrong with restructuring an agency

But a 70% cut is way too much. Someone needs to ask what percentage would maximize efficiency. It might be 23%. It might be 7%. Has that question been asked? Of course not. Elmo just pulled 70% from his oversized hemorrhoid zone because it would "disrupt the deep state" and be "edgy." What an absolute fool.

[Midnight Writer]

34. Musk is doing to OPM what he did to Twitter. As he promised he would.