DOGE
Smarter, Faster, Lighter: A roadmap for agile evidence building
COMMENTARY | With DOGE initiatives fundamentally changing the state of federal policy evaluation, it could be time to embrace more evidence-based approaches to assess agency actions.
Breaking News
White House extends federal hiring freeze until July for most
The Trump administration’s halt on federal civilian hiring, which was supposed to be lifted Monday, will be extended through July, per a memo released late Thursday.
Unions sue to stop demolition of mediator agency
The congressionally authorized Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service worked to avoid costly litigation between labor groups and their employers—in both the private and public sectors—until President Trump ordered officials to effectively shutter the agency last month.
User with Russian IP address tried to log into NLRB systems following DOGE access, whistleblower says
The blocked login attempts, detailed in an extensive whistleblower complaint filed to the Senate Intelligence Committee and others, may indicate foreign adversaries have begun leveraging DOGE inroads into sensitive federal systems.
State-level DOGE work gathers speed
Oklahoma’s new government efficiency unit issued a report on what it has found to cut, while Iowa’s first-in-the-nation effort held its inaugural meeting. But experts say efficiency isn’t just about cutting spending.
Top tech leaders to leave IRS
The departures happen even as the tax agency has made controversial decisions to share taxpayer data with the Department of Homeland Security and centralize that data to make it more accessible.
SBA investigating staff for talking to press, former colleagues
SBA’s general counsel warned staff Monday it was investigating employee communications with media and former colleagues in a memo. It was promptly shared with reporters.
How cyber vulnerabilities and workforce cuts threaten the crisis lifeline program
A bipartisan, bicameral measure is hoping to prevent cyber incidents from limiting access to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline after a 2022 attack on a system operator disrupted calls to the hotline.
Trump said cuts wouldn’t affect public safety. Then he fired hundreds of workers who help fight wildfires.
The White House and DOGE have sought to eliminate thousands of jobs from the Forest Service. The wildland firefighting force is one of many targets within the agency.
Federal contract oversight employees contemplate resignation offer, as agency faces layoffs and mission realignment
Employees at the Labor Department’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs had less than two weeks to decide whether to opt into the second round of the deferred resignation program.
Employees swarm to second ‘deferred resignation’ offer, though some are receiving unexpected responses
At USDA, 16,000 employees have signed up for the “DRP.”
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Trump directive aims to speed up deregulation by nixing public input
Advocacy groups have already announced they would challenge the president’s effort in court.
GSA preps for layoffs at TTS
The coming reductions in force are the latest in a series of workforce cuts within the Technology Transformation Services.
Exclusive
Treasury eliminates offices and outsources work, with more layoffs coming
Initial cuts were focused on employees who provide U.S. Treasury bond-related retail services to investors.
Interior fires senior leaders after fight over DOGE access to key payroll system
Several officials in the department’s CIO shop who were not fired are taking the latest deferred resignation offer, meaning that the office is nearly cleared out, with only two of nine leadership roles permanently filled.
Interior Department to consolidate functions across the country, leading to widespread layoffs
Changes are expected to be implemented in the coming weeks.
Trump administration ends union dues collection for most feds without notice
Unions at federal agencies targeted by the president’s executive order stripping them of their collective bargaining rights found out about the change when employees began receiving their most recent paychecks this week.
‘We are going to lose Generation Z’: Trump’s workforce cuts could cripple recruitment
The Trump administration’s firing of federal employees in their probationary periods and attrition hiring could significantly impact early-career workers, experts worry.
Updated
Agencies can once again fire all probationary employees following new court ruling
An appeals court on Wednesday reached a similar conclusion as the Supreme Court a day prior.
Updated
Project 2025 wanted to hobble the federal workforce. DOGE has hastily done that, and more
The controversial policy blueprint sought to cut back on civil servants’ powers, but the Trump administration’s turbulent method of execution wasn’t part of the plan.
