Workforce
Unions call on senators to ‘defund’ Trump’s workforce purges
A group comprised of 15 federal employee unions urged leaders on the Senate Appropriations Committee to issue a two-year moratorium on reductions in force as part of legislation to fund the government past March 14.
Nextgov
TMF executive director resigns
Larry Bafundo cited the “disheartening” depiction of government employees recently in his post announcing his departure.
Workforce
Judge orders Trump administration to rescind directives on probationary employee firings
The administration did not have the authority to issue the dismissals, federal court rules.
Workforce
OPM tells court it never ordered mass firings, contradicting prior claims
The Trump administration is arguing in court that agencies acted on their own to fire probationary staff, but it previously sent a government directive with a deadline for the firings.
Nextgov
IBM contract for overseas cyber assistance canned amid USAID shutdown
The foreign aid agency — a prime target of President Donald Trump’s agenda to eliminate perceived government waste — declared cybersecurity an economic development issue in 2021.
Opinion
COMMENTARY: Where's the cyber EO among all the Trump executive orders?
While the White House pushes for government efficiency, federal agencies and contractors await critical cybersecurity guidance.
Special Report
Workforce
RIF watch: See which agencies are laying off federal workers
Here are the agencies where we have confirmed layoffs have taken or are about to take place. We will update as we learn more.
Oversight
Multiple groups file lawsuits to get DOGE records
Plaintiffs argue the Musk-led initiative is an agency whose records can be requested for release, while the Trump administration says they’re protected presidential records.
Breaking News
Transition
Top Social Security deputies leave amid rumored staff cuts
At least five of the eight regional heads have decided to leave as the mid-level worker-turned-acting commissioner is said to mull workforce reduction.
Transition
Trump DOGE order directs agencies to build tech to track government spending
The executive order directs agencies to build centralized tech systems to “record every payment” issued under grants and contracts.
Transition
The DOGE risk to fighting waste
COMMENTARY | We all want to get rid of waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement in the federal government, but this is not the way to do it, argues one observer.
Contracts
DOGE slashes reported value of cancelled Leidos contract
The Elon Musk-led group quietly drops the figure from $1 billion to much less than $1 million and is no longer disclosing any actual savings.
Nextgov
OSTP director nominee promises to center ‘American leadership’ in emerging tech work
Trump’s pick to lead the Office of Science and Technology Policy, Michael Kratsios, identified innovating in AI and quantum as two of his major priorities.
Workforce
Board agrees to pause firings for some feds, potentially upending Trump's widespread terminations
The employees must be reinstated to their roles pending further investigation, appeals board rules.
Management
Trump to convert some top career roles to political appointments and evaluate execs on adherence to president’s agenda
New policy ensures top roles can only be filled by the "administration's political cronies," senior executive group says.
Updated
Transition
Advisory government transparency committee terminated
The closure is the result of a Trump order targeting advisory panels throughout the federal government.
Contracts
Veteran-owned small firms hit first by VA's push for $2B in contract cuts
Service-disabled veteran entrepreneurs bear 89% of the claimed savings. Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins claims this is just step one.
Workforce
Veterans Affairs axes another 1,400 probationary employees
The agency has now laid off 2,400 employees since Feb. 13.
Transition
Killing the Presidential Management Fellows program threatens the future of federal labor
COMMENTARY | A former fellow urges the Trump administration to reopen the door to this program that attracted talent and leaders to the federal workforce.
Transition