Internal NFFE News
February 21, 2025
It has been one month since President Donald Trump took office. Here’s a look at what’s happened:
Federal hiring freeze
In his first slew of executive orders, Trump demanded a federal hiring freeze, replicating an action he took at the start of his first term to try to reduce the size of government. This order suspends hiring for new positions in addition to a number of open ones. It includes exceptions for posts related to national security, public safety and the military.
“The President will usher in a golden age for America by reforming and improving the government bureaucracy to work for the American people,” White House officials wrote in a summary of presidential actions Monday. “He will freeze bureaucrat hiring except in essential areas to end the onslaught of useless and overpaid [diversity, equity and inclusion] activists buried into the federal workforce.”
Return-to-work orders
President Trump also signed a return-to-office executive order that instructs agencies to order their federal employees to return to work at the office “as soon as practicable.” He directed agencies to end remote work arrangements and require employees to work in person full time. The order does give agencies some flexibility, allowing department and agency heads to “make exemptions they deem necessary.”
Since that order, some companies – large and small – have already ushered employees back into the office.
DEI slashings
The Trump administration also directed all federal diversity, equity and inclusion staff to be put on paid leave and eventually laid off. This move follows a first-day executive order that President Trump made ordering the removal of the federal government’s diversity and inclusion programs. These programs include anti-bias training which Trump has described as “discrimination.”
Since then, Trump has made baseless accusations against pilots and air traffic controllers involved in the fatal plane crash into the Potomac River last month. Statements such as these have caused further controversy in Trump’s early days as the 47th president.
Deferred resignation, buyouts
Federal workers have also been issued a “buyout deal” that coincides with Trump’s efforts to significantly downsize the federal workforce.
“The offer will generally allow them to leave their jobs but be paid through the end of September – though the unions and many workers have said that the information the administration has released about the package has been conflicting and confusing,” CNN reported in a recent article.
Roughly 75,000 federal workers have accepted the buyout deal so far though the future remains uncertain.
Federal firings
As promised, thousands of federal workers have been fired. Agencies facing termination include: the Department of Education, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Energy, United States Agency for International Development, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Agriculture, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of the Interior, Department of Homeland Security, Office of Personnel Management, General Services Administration, Small Business Administration.
The National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE) is committed to keeping members informed and up-to-date on what’s happening in Washington, and beyond, to the federal workforce. You can continue to read our news stories, press releases and view our social media channels for information. NFFE is also actively fighting for the rights of federal workers. Please refer to this recent Member Update for a full list of actions the union is taking.