Amanda Aronchik

Elaine can appreciate at least the spirit behind what the Trump administration is trying to accomplish with all these cuts. But she says there's a process. Like when the government fires someone, Elaine says there has to be a reason like performance or, you know, we're getting rid of this whole division because we have email now. You can't just. blanket everyone who is probationary is fired.

Elaine says you have to do it piece by piece. And she says only each individual agency, like the Department of Defense, can fire its own employees, which the Trump administration has not been doing. That's why they've been getting pushback and lawsuits related to the firings. The White House Office of Personnel and Management mass fired probationary workers.

Elaine says you have to do it piece by piece. And she says only each individual agency, like the Department of Defense, can fire its own employees, which the Trump administration has not been doing. That's why they've been getting pushback and lawsuits related to the firings. The White House Office of Personnel and Management mass fired probationary workers.

Elaine says you have to do it piece by piece. And she says only each individual agency, like the Department of Defense, can fire its own employees, which the Trump administration has not been doing. That's why they've been getting pushback and lawsuits related to the firings. The White House Office of Personnel and Management mass fired probationary workers.

And a federal judge recently ruled that it did not have

And a federal judge recently ruled that it did not have

And a federal judge recently ruled that it did not have

The Trump administration has already tried to hire back a bunch of workers that were fired, like the people who work on the bird flu that is making egg prices so high right now, the people who work on the nuclear weapons programs.

The Trump administration has already tried to hire back a bunch of workers that were fired, like the people who work on the bird flu that is making egg prices so high right now, the people who work on the nuclear weapons programs.

The Trump administration has already tried to hire back a bunch of workers that were fired, like the people who work on the bird flu that is making egg prices so high right now, the people who work on the nuclear weapons programs.

Take the Defense Department. It was initially announced that the Defense Department would cut 76,000 defense-related civilian jobs. But there are laws that the cabinet secretary, Pete Hegseth, has to follow.

Take the Defense Department. It was initially announced that the Defense Department would cut 76,000 defense-related civilian jobs. But there are laws that the cabinet secretary, Pete Hegseth, has to follow.

Take the Defense Department. It was initially announced that the Defense Department would cut 76,000 defense-related civilian jobs. But there are laws that the cabinet secretary, Pete Hegseth, has to follow.

Deregulation is coming. Trump issued an executive order telling all agencies they had 60 days to identify regulations that could go. And their deadline is late April.

Deregulation is coming. Trump issued an executive order telling all agencies they had 60 days to identify regulations that could go. And their deadline is late April.

Deregulation is coming. Trump issued an executive order telling all agencies they had 60 days to identify regulations that could go. And their deadline is late April.

This episode of Planet Money was produced and also reported a little bit by Willa Rubin. It was edited by Jess Jing and engineered by Jimmy Keeley with fact-checking help from Sierra Juarez. Alex Goldmark is our executive producer. We also want to give a special thanks to Ben Zipper at the Economic Policy Institute. He also really helped us understand who the federal workforce is.

This episode of Planet Money was produced and also reported a little bit by Willa Rubin. It was edited by Jess Jing and engineered by Jimmy Keeley with fact-checking help from Sierra Juarez. Alex Goldmark is our executive producer. We also want to give a special thanks to Ben Zipper at the Economic Policy Institute. He also really helped us understand who the federal workforce is.

This episode of Planet Money was produced and also reported a little bit by Willa Rubin. It was edited by Jess Jing and engineered by Jimmy Keeley with fact-checking help from Sierra Juarez. Alex Goldmark is our executive producer. We also want to give a special thanks to Ben Zipper at the Economic Policy Institute. He also really helped us understand who the federal workforce is.

I'm Sarah Gonzalez. And I'm Amanda Aronchik.