The Trump administration is cutting more than 11,000 jobs at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Pentagon. This move is part of a larger plan to shrink the federal workforce. Officials claim these cuts will save money, but critics worry they will hurt government operations.
IRS Layoffs Happen During Tax Season
On Thursday, the IRS started laying off about 6,000 workers. This comes at a time when millions of Americans are filing their taxes. The agency insists the job cuts will not cause major delays.
An internal email seen by CBS News says that only probationary employees will lose their jobs. These are workers with less than a year of experience or those who recently moved into new roles. The IRS claims these employees were not essential for handling tax returns.
Reports indicate that around 3,500 of the affected employees worked in the Small Business/Self-Employed (SBSE) Division. Many of these workers focused on tax compliance, making sure people and businesses paid what they owed.
Harvard Kennedy School professor Linda Bilmes spoke to the BBC about the impact of these layoffs. She said, “People hate paying taxes, but they hate it even more when they can’t get help from the IRS.”
Pentagon Job Cuts and Hiring Freeze
Next week, the Pentagon will start cutting more than 5,000 civilian jobs. The Department of Defense plans to shrink its workforce by 5 to 8%. It is also stopping new hiring.
A Pentagon statement confirmed that about 5,400 probationary employees will lose their jobs first. However, additional job cuts may follow. The Department of Defense currently employs around 950,000 civilians.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth supports the reductions. He wrote on X last week, “We need to cut the fat (HQ) and grow the muscle (warfighters).”
Political Reactions and Public Response
The Trump administration has appointed Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) to oversee these changes. This move has increased tensions over IRS funding.
President Biden had secured $80 billion to improve IRS operations. Many Republicans opposed this funding, arguing that the IRS had too much power.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told Fox News that Trump’s long-term goal is to eliminate the IRS. He said, “The plan is to shut down the IRS and make foreign companies pay instead.” Trump has proposed an “External Revenue Service” that would replace taxes with tariffs on imported goods.
Public reaction to these job cuts has been mixed. A Washington Post/Ipsos poll found that 54% of Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of the federal government, while 44% approve. As of now, no official responses have been provided.
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