Millions of Federal Workers Offered 8-Month Pay to Resign as Trump Shrinks Government

In a bold move to reduce the size of the federal government, President Donald Trump has offered buyout packages to nearly all federal workers, encouraging them to resign by February 6, 2025.

The buyout includes a severance offer of approximately eight months’ salary for those who choose to leave their jobs by the deadline, with the Trump administration expecting around 200,000 of the more than two million federal employees to accept the offer.

The email, sent to millions of federal workers on January 28, outlined the details of the “deferred resignation program,” which is designed to downsize the government and reduce federal spending.

The buyouts, according to senior Trump officials, could save up to $100 billion (£80 billion) in the coming years.

The offer, which also includes continued pay and benefits until September 30, 2025, is limited to most federal employees, though certain groups—such as postal workers, military personnel, immigration officers, and national security workers—were excluded from the deal. Employees interested in the buyout were asked to respond to the email with the word “resign” in the subject line.

The move comes after Trump’s earlier announcement that federal workers who had been working remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic would now be required to return to the office five days a week.

This buyout offer is seen as a further step in Trump’s long-standing promise to shrink the size of the federal government, cut spending, and eliminate regulations.

Despite the massive potential cost savings, the proposal has drawn criticism.

The Office of Personnel Management’s email warned workers that future downsizing could affect those who remain in government jobs, with no guarantees about the security of their positions.

Trump’s push to reduce the federal workforce also aligns with his broader goals to reform government operations.

The announcement follows a chaotic day in Washington, marked by a separate memo from Trump to pause federal grants, loans, and assistance—an order temporarily blocked by a district judge.

While the buyout offer has made waves, it is part of a larger effort by the Trump administration to reshape the federal landscape, an initiative likely to continue to stir controversy in the coming weeks.