In a significant move, over 100,000 federal employees are poised to resign shortly under the Trump administration’s controversial “deferred resignation” initiative. This drastic measure is purportedly aimed at “draining the swamp” and reaffirming presidential authority over a federal bureaucracy that many consider overly large and inefficient.
Late last week, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) reportedly sent out a warning to federal agencies, instructing them to brace for potential waves of resignations and workforce reductions if Congress does not finalize full appropriations. This information was detailed in a report by the New York Post.
As part of this initiative, agencies have been directed to start drafting plans for Separations and Reductions in Force (RIF) that would target non-essential roles.
On January 28, 2025, the OPM released a memo across the federal civil service titled “Fork in the Road”, which presented employees with an option for deferred resignation. The memo assured that those who voluntarily exited would continue to receive their salaries and benefits until September 30, but only on the condition of signing away their legal rights and adhering to a strict deadline.
By mid-February, an estimated 75,000 federal workers had accepted the exit agreement.
As the Trump administration gears up for another wave of resignations, more than 100,000 additional federal employees are anticipated to leave as of Tuesday, which would mark the largest single-day drop in the history of the federal workforce, as reported by The Guardian.
The outlet noted:
Employees who are preparing to depart from the government as part of the resignation program—one pillar of Trump’s extensive cuts to the federal workforce—have shared that prolonged “fear and intimidation” forced them to feel as though leaving was their only option.
“Federal workers stay for the mission. When that mission is compromised, when they are unjustly blamed, when job security hangs by a thread, and when any shred of work-life balance evaporates, they must make the decision to leave,” stated a longtime employee at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in an interview with The Guardian. “That’s precisely why I decided to resign.”
Overall, the anticipated exodus—including those participating in delayed resignation and voluntary separation programs, along with attrition and early retirement options—could total approximately 275,000 employees, according to a spokesperson. Additionally, several thousand federal employees have already faced termination under mandates formed by this administration, leading to the largest single-year decline in civilian federal employment since World War II.
Those who have taken the deferred resignation route opted to remain anonymous, hoping to facilitate a potential return to federal employment in the future while safeguarding their job prospects.
Trump’s agenda has resolutely focused on downsizing the federal bureaucracy and its influence. As of early 2025, he formally instructed federal agencies to brace for drastic cuts and reorganizations, all in the name of eliminating “waste, bloat, and corruption.”
Initial actions have primarily targeted agencies perceived as liberal or expansive in nature. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has seen nearly all its Washington-based employees placed on leave, resulting in restricted office access and significantly curtailed operations.
Meanwhile, numerous agencies are under direct orders to develop reorganization plans, eliminate overlapping departments, and decrease layers of management.
