Key facts
- A GAO audit found the Trump administration paid $6.7 billion to federal workers to quit.
- The federal workforce has shrunk by 13% since 2024.
- OPM Director Scott Kupor said the reduction saves $40 billion annually.
- Senator Patty Murray criticized the program as an expensive way to weaken government.
A Government Accountability Office audit has revealed that the Trump administration paid federal workers $6.7 billion to voluntarily resign from their positions. This initiative was part of a broader effort to reduce government spending and shrink the federal bureaucracy, a key focus for President Donald Trump.
According to the audit, the federal workforce has decreased by approximately 300,000 employees, or 13%, since 2024, reaching its smallest size in nearly two decades. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) had informed federal employees that they could take paid leave until later in the year, with the warning that remaining positions might be eliminated.
OPM Director Scott Kupor defended the program, stating that the GAO report overlooked the significant long-term savings. He claimed the reduction provides $40 billion per year in savings, representing a substantial return on investment for taxpayers.
However, critics, including Senator Patty Murray, vice chair of the Appropriations Committee, have condemned the program. Murray argued that the administration spent billions to push out experienced government experts, making the government worse in the most expensive way possible. The Trump administration, meanwhile, asserted that its wide-ranging spending cuts have saved about $215 billion through workforce reductions, contract cancellations, and other measures.