More than 40,000 federal employees in the United States have resigned following an offer from the Trump administration that encouraged nearly two million government workers to voluntarily step down while continuing to receive their salaries for several months.
The move is part of Donald Trump’s broader strategy to reduce the size of the federal government, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) informed federal employees last week that they had until Thursday at 11:59 PM to decide whether to accept the voluntary separation offer, which would allow them to receive paychecks until September.
The administration has prioritized shrinking the federal workforce as part of its agenda.
A source within OPM confirmed that more than 40,000 employees have already accepted the offer, while another insider suggested the actual number might be even higher.
A White House official stated that the administration expects a surge in resignations just before the deadline.
When the program was announced, the White House estimated that between 5% and 10% of federal employees would accept the offer, potentially saving the government around $100 billion annually.
However, officials have not disclosed the exact methodology used to reach this figure.
With nearly two million civilians working in the federal government, the administration has not set a specific target for the number of resignations. However, certain positions have been exempted from the program.
After securing victory in the November elections, Trump emphasized his vision of a smaller, more efficient government, with less bureaucracy.
He described it as "the perfect gift to America" ahead of the nation's 250th Independence Day celebration in 2026.
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