The US government has now begun laying off thousands of people working in various government agencies as of yesterday (Thursday), as President Donald Trump and his adviser Elon Musk are accelerating the purges in the federal bureaucracy aimed in particular at cutting spending, which the Republican intends to make an emblem of his second term.

The Department of Veterans Affairs, responsible above all for the health care of active and retired US military personnel, has announced that it has laid off more than 1,000 employees under test. The Forest Service will lay off 3,000 employees at all levels except firefighters.

Contract termination documents were emailed in the last 48 hours to employees in several different departments, mostly under test. In particular, employees of the Department of Education, the Small and Medium Business Administration, the Consumer Protection Agency, the General Services Administration, which manages especially federal government properties…

U.S. embassies abroad were also told they can expect staff reductions. Mr. Musk’s team now covets the federal IRS (IRS).

Donald Trump defends the project, stressing at every opportunity that the federal government is bloated, talking about waste and fraud.

The US federal debt stands at about $36 trillion and the government has recorded a deficit of $1.8 trillion in 2024. Republicans and Democrats generally agree that reforms to the government apparatus are needed.

But criticisms of Musk’s approach, described by many as barbaric, as well as his vast power in the Trump administration despite not being elected, are intensifying.

By official count, some 280,000 federal civilian employees were hired two years ago or in the interim – meaning they are on probation and their contracts are simpler to terminate. However, especially in the consumer protection agency, dozens of highly experienced and tenured employees were laid off, especially 70 people in charge of investigations.

As the purges began, 14 states appealed to the federal judiciary, complaining that Mr. Musk’s appointment was illegal and that he had been delegated vast powers without congressional approval.

Letters to at least 160 newly appointed Education Department employees said they were being fired because continuing their employment “would not be in the public interest.”

Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed his intention to shut down the federal Department of Education – something he reiterated the other day Wednesday.

Even before layoffs began, some 75,000 employees had already applied to join a voluntary exit program, according to statements by presidential spokeswoman Caroline Levitt to the press. That number represents 3 percent of civilian employees.

Elon Musk – the richest man in the world – and his team, which President Trump has christened the “department” of government effectiveness (DOGE), although it is nothing more than an advisory committee, have undertaken to drastically cut public spending, in particular by slashing 2.3 million US government workers. The White House seems indifferent to the criticisms and warnings about the consequences of these layoffs and cuts so far.