The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is the latest federal agency staring down significant cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Brian Bjelde, a top DOGE lieutenant, informed senior staff at OPM to plan for the loss of 70 percent of internal staff, according to CNN.
OPM leaders were ordered to prepare for an initial 30 percent reduction, which would ultimately grow to 70 percent, according to reports.
The order has significantly rattled government employees who did not expect to lose their jobs under the Trump administration.
‘People around OPM look like they have seen ghost. People are shocked,’ a source told Federal News Network.
Officials also directed OPM leaders to stop working on any project not required by law to continue, according to the Federal News network.
The agency has nearly 3,000 employees.
DOGE continues to email federal workers offering them a deferred resignation opportunity that allows individuals to resign from their federal positions by Thursday, February 6 and allow them to receive full pay and benefits until September 30th.
People gather to protest outside the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) headquarters after the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was charged with oversight
Telsa, SpaceX and X CEO Elon Musk
The now infamous ‘Fork in the Road’ memo has earned the ire of federal workers, as protesters gathered outside federal offices Monday morning to protest Musk’s culling of federal government workers.
Former federal employee Keya Chatterjee, the executive director of Free D.C. told USA Today that ‘Musk can fork off.’
Other protesters shouted, ‘We don’t want your tech solutions, give us back our constitution,’ and ‘Elon, Elon, have you heard? You’re a nasty, fascist nerd.’
Protesters also gathered outside the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to oppose DOGE’s decision to close the agency.
Staffers at the agency were told overnight that the agency’s Washington, DC headquarters would be closed Monday and that employees were expected to work remotely.
Musk endorsed the efforts to significantly impact federal government spending through the organization.
‘USAID is a criminal organization. Time for it to die,’ Musk wrote on X, reacting to the news.
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Employees and supporters gather to protest outside of the U.S. Agency for International Development
U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Rep. Gerry Connolly (R-VA), joined by fellow lawmakers and employees and supporters of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
Trump endorsed Musk’s work while speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, praising him for his ‘good natural instinct’ and a group of ‘very talented people’ for executing the task of shrinking government.
‘Elon can’t do and won’t do anything without our approval and we’ll give him the approval where appropriate,’ Trump said. ‘It’s something he feels very strong about.’
Trump added he would prevent Musk from working in areas where there could be conflict of interest with his companies.
‘He’s got access only to letting people go that he thinks are no good if we agree with him and it’s only if we agree with him,’ Trump said. ‘He’s a very talented guy from the standpoint of management and costs.’
