Defense Department to Slash 60,000 Civilian Workers

The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is planning to slash up to 60,000 civilian jobs as the Pentagon seeks to reduce its workforce.

The DOD is looking to reduce the department’s civilian workforce by 5-8%.

A senior U.S. defense official said on Tuesday that approximately one-third of the employees the DOD will dismiss are already leaving voluntarily.

Almost 21,000 civilian staff are leaving through the deferred resignation program.

During a media briefing, the Pentagon official said:

“More than 20,000, nearing 21,000 of the applications from employees that volunteered to participate in the deferred resignation program.

“So those will actually be achieved over time.

“We’re in the process of placing those employees that were approved on administrative leave.”

The DOD is aligning its civilian workforce with national security priorities.

As part of this effort, the DOD is undertaking a strategic reduction of 5-8% percent of its civilian workforce.

Instead, the department will direct those resources and manpower toward mission-critical functions.

The figure breaks down to about 50-60,000.

During the presser, the senior U.S. defense official said:

“We’re certainly again looking at case by case as we plan workforce reduction.

“So there are so many critical skills and experience that veterans have to offer.

“And that’s part of the analysis,” he said.

“When we consider who is contributing to the core mission functions and who should be retained.”

Along with the deferred resignation program, the department is removing certain probationary employees and instituting a hiring freeze.

Each of the initiatives, directed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, is focused on workforce mission criticality to promote lethality, readiness, and warfighting.

“So the department is a steward of the US taxpayers’ money,” the official said.

“We need to be good stewards and accountable for that money and also ensure that we accomplish the mission and have the right focus on the mission.”

The news comes as President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is led by X boss Elon Musk, and the DOD have been working together to slash wasteful spending.

Much of the cuts have targeted programs dedicated to “climate change,” “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI), and other efforts not related to the Pentagon’s core mission.

DOD spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed the efforts in a recent video posted to social media.

“The DOD and DOGE have said they plan to cut climate programs in the Pentagon – but officials & experts are warning that climate efforts at DOD are directly linked to military readiness, and say cuts could put troops and military operations at risk,” Britzky wrote.

“…Pentagon Spox John Ullyot said, ‘Climate zealotry and other woke chimeras of the Left are not part’ of DOD’s mission,” Britzky posted.

After seeing the post, Hegseth confirmed the reports.

“John is, of course, correct,” the defense secretary wrote.

“The @DeptofDefense does not do climate change crap.

“We do training and warfighting.”

John is, of course, correct.

The @DeptofDefense does not do climate change crap.

We do training and warfighting. https://t.co/eK5Xyf7fN4

— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) March 9, 2025

DOGE found that millions of dollars in taxpayer money were given to support various leftist programs.

READ MORE – Hegseth: Pentagon No Longer Does ‘Climate Change Crap – We Do Training and Warfighting’