They fired thousands to “save money” — Now the government’s in crisis mode

Washington D.C. – Departments and agencies across the federal government are rushing to rehire and re-staff after widespread job cuts left critical functions under strain, the result of months-long pressure from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to dramatically downsize.

The push to reduce federal spending, driven by President Donald Trump’s administration and supported by DOGE, has led to a wave of early retirements, buyouts, and firings—particularly of probationary employees. However, the very agencies that DOGE instructed to reduce their staff are now finding themselves unable to operate without the personnel they previously let go.

The Food and Drug Administration has shed at least 3,500 employees since April. The agency rescinded its reduction-in-force notification just three weeks after issuing it, acknowledging a need to retain staff. One FDA employee told The Washington Post they only returned to work because they hadn’t yet secured another job. “Being back feels like a funeral,” they said. “Morale is terrible. Everyone is stressed and feels the absence of our colleagues.”

Despite the return of some staff, many workers are still seeking to exit. Meanwhile, USAJobs shows at least 17 new permanent FDA job postings, including openings for physicians, investigators, and regulatory specialists. Internally, the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research has sent urgent emails asking employees to volunteer for basic administrative duties like tracking hours and managing leave requests—duties typically handled by designated support staff.

Similar disruptions have emerged across the federal workforce. At the IRS, probationary employees dismissed for alleged performance issues were instructed to return to the office in May. At the National Nuclear Security Administration, which oversees the U.S. nuclear arsenal, termination emails sent to at least 50 employees in February were later retracted.

USAID, which was among the first targets of staff cuts under Trump and Elon Musk’s restructuring efforts, has recently begun rehiring through the State Department. And at the Community Planning and Development agency within HUD, at least 370 employees—roughly 40 percent of staff—have departed since the start of Trump’s term. HUD has since begun offering reassignment opportunities to the remaining workforce to cover vacancies in depleted field offices.

Cuts to the National Weather Service, despite warnings from lawmakers, left a Kentucky field office shorthanded during a period of deadly tornadoes. Though staff managed to maintain operations, the agency was recently granted an exemption from the federal hiring freeze to bring on additional personnel.

The administration’s drive for rapid efficiency has created a vacuum—one that agencies are now struggling to fill.