“We will ... shrink the civilian workforce to enhance efficiency.”
The promise
Hegseth signed a memorandum to reduce and restructure the civilian workforce in the Department of Defense, aiming for leaner bureaucracy and improved efficiency. The plan includes offering voluntary retirements, consolidating duplicative roles, and eliminating low-value positions. Proponents say this saves cost and improves agility; critics warn of service disruption and loss of institutional memory. Early execution has started with workforce cuts; but it remains a contested and ongoing process.
