The Trump administration is addressing all federal agencies that “immediately” begin preparations for large -scale layoffs and restructuring, and present plans to do so before March 13, according to a new memorandum obtained by ABC News.
The Memorandum, of the Office of Administration and Budget of the White House, Russell Vought, and Charles Ezell, head of the Personnel Management Office, was issued on Wednesday morning and includes instructions for the agencies to continue while working to reduce their labor forces and, in some cases, physical traces.
The measure could clarify the way for the administration to begin to dismantle or reduce agencies such as the Department of Education and will probably cause a new wave of demands as the process takes shape.
“President Trump required that ‘agency chiefs immediately undertake preparations to initiate large -scale reductions in force (RIF), according to the applicable law.’
President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, DC, on February 26, 2025.
Jim Watson/AFP through Getty Images
“In accordance with the president’s direction, the agencies must focus on the maximum elimination of functions that are not legally mandatory while driving the most efficient and higher quality delivery of their functions required by statues,” the letter added.
The memorandum encourages agencies to “consolidate” areas that are “duplicate” and “implement technical solutions that automate routine tasks”, a directive that aligns with the public statements of Elon Musk about the automation of some of the work carried out by government workers.
The memorandum includes some exemptions: positions related to the application of the law, border security, national security, the application of immigration and public security roles. Military personnel and all uniformed personnel are also exempt, including the United States Coast Guard, public health service and officers commissioned in the Oceanic and Atmospheric National Association.
The Directive also exempts the United States Postal Service, the President’s Executive Office and any presidential appointment and roles confirmed by the Senate.
The memorandum also establishes that “the agencies or components that provide direct services to citizens”, including Social Security, Medicare and medical care of veterans, should not begin any restructuring without signing the Office of Management and Budget or OPM.
In addition, the White House is asking the agencies that present before April 14 “any relocation of offices of agencies and offices of Washington, DC and the region of the national capital to less expensive parts of the country.”
The possibility of moving large pieces of the government outside the Washington Metropolitan Area, in addition to large -scale layoffs, could severely affect the local economy, and those of Maryland and Virginia.
The director of the FBI, Kash Patel, has indicated plans to move around 1,000 employees of the agency’s headquarters to other offices throughout the country, as well as another 500 to Huntsville, Alabama.
