The Pentagon is next in line for Doge layoffs as the number of probationary recruits increases 2025
WASHINGTON (AP)
The Defense Department has sent lists of its probationary employees to the Trump administration, according to a senior official, as the Pentagon braces for a move that has shaken other parts of the federal government in recent weeks.
It’s unclear how many employees will be cut from the Pentagon’s ranks—NPR reported a circulating meme calling for an eight percent cut to the department.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to confirm reports that the lists had been submitted, Hafiz of Personnel Management, did not respond to a request for comment.
One probationary Army employee said tensions were high after he and his team were warned that military leadership must respond to certain positions to keep staff in place. The employee asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation.
It’s just a hassle to wait for the shoe to drop, said one Marine Base employee who is not in the professional term but works with one who is.
He said it would be detrimental to areas that depend on military bases for employment.
“We welcome DOGE to the Pentagon,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said last week, referring to Elon Musk’s administration’s cuts to the task force at the Department of Government Efficiency, adding that there are wasteful redundancies and headcount at headquarters that need to be addressed.
On Friday, the DOGE said on X that his defense department had a “Great Kickoff”
Looking forward to working together to protect taxpayer dollars safely and eliminate wasteful fraud and abuse. Hegseth wrote back on Tuesday to double down on waste DOGE fighters at work.
The Trump administration has exempted some employees across the entire federal workforce who can demonstrate that their jobs are for national security.
Letters of superiority received by National Nuclear Security Administration employees late last week were retracted hours later, fueling speculation that DOGE backed down after realizing the key role the workers played in maintaining the U.S. nuclear stockpile.
