WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has escalated its extensive initiatives to reduce the size of the federal workforce, the largest employer in the country, by mandating agencies to terminate nearly all probationary employees who lack civil service protections — a move that could impact hundreds of thousands of individuals.

Additionally, personnel at certain agencies have been alerted that significant workforce reductions are imminent.

This directive concerning probationary employees, who typically have been on the job for less than a year, was issued by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which acts as the federal government’s human resources arm. This information was verified by an insider who wished to remain anonymous due to restrictions on public discussion.

Probationary employees at the OPM were also affected; numerous staff members were informed during a Thursday afternoon conference call that they were being dismissed and instructed to vacate the premises within thirty minutes, according to another anonymous source.

This action is expected to mark the beginning of widespread layoffs. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday directing agency leaders to strategize for “large-scale reductions in force.”

Elon Musk, who has been given broad discretion to cut government expenses through his Department of Government Efficiency, advocated for the elimination of entire agencies during a video call at the World Governments Summit held in Dubai, UAE.

“I believe we should eliminate entire agencies instead of leaving many behind,” Musk stated. “If we don’t uproot the issues, they can easily resurface.”

Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, criticized the administration for misusing the probationary status of workers to carry out a politically motivated mass termination, targeting individuals not based on their performance but because they were employed prior to Trump taking office.

Thursday’s directive expands on previous guidelines from OPM that stated probationary workers should be dismissed if they fail to meet high standards. It remains uncertain how many employees are currently under probation. According to the latest government records maintained by OPM, from March 2024, about 220,000 employees had less than a year in their roles.

The termination of probationary workers commenced earlier this week, impacting employees from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Department of Education.

On Wednesday, at least 39 individuals were terminated from the Department of Education, including civil rights officers, special education experts, and student aid officials, according to reports from a union representing the agency’s employees.

The layoffs also affected Department of Veterans Affairs researchers focused on issues such as cancer treatment, opioid addiction, prosthetics, and burn pit exposure, U.S. Senator Patty Murray, a Democrat, stated on Thursday.

Murray shared in a statement that VA researchers in her state were abruptly ordered to halt their projects immediately, “not because their contributions are unnecessary, but due to arbitrary decisions made by Trump and Elon.”

Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, a group advocating for government employees, indicated that the Agriculture Department’s Food Safety and Inspection Service could face severe impacts from the layoffs, particularly as it struggles to recruit necessary inspectors for slaughterhouses.

The total civilian federal workforce, excluding military and postal employees, consists of approximately 2.4 million individuals. While about 20% are based in Washington D.C. and nearby states, over 80% reside outside the Capitol area.

Experts suggest that layoffs may not produce substantial savings for the deficit. The Congressional Budget Office previously reported that the government allocates $271 billion annually to compensate civilian federal workers, with around 60% of this amount going to staff in the departments of Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs.

Even with a complete reduction of these workers, the government could still face a deficit exceeding $1 trillion, which would likely continue to expand as tax revenues are needed to cover the escalating costs of Social Security and Medicare.

Elaine Kamarck, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, pointed out that terminating probationary employees is a problematic strategy as it risks losing younger talent.

“Baby Boomers are retiring at a rapid pace, meaning those we may want to retain are often the ones currently on probation,” Kamarck explained. Her experience during Bill Clinton’s administration, which saw a significant reduction in federal jobs aimed at government modernization, informs her perspective on this issue.

Trump’s early downsizing effort included a deferred resignation program, often referred to as a buyout, which incentivized employees to quit by providing payments through September 30. The White House announced that 75,000 individuals opted into this program, with a federal judge lifting legal barriers for its implementation on Wednesday.

However, the actual number of participants fell short of the administration’s initial expectations, leading Trump to indicate that more measures would be taken.

This week, staff at the National Science Foundation and Housing and Urban Development Department were informed of looming significant reductions, in some instances reducing their workforce by half, according to a source who chose to remain unnamed.

The executive order signed by Trump specified that non-essential government functions would be prioritized for cuts. Hiring would be limited, with one new hire allowed for every four departures, and generally, new positions would require approval from the Department of Government Efficiency, thus broadening Musk’s team’s influence.

Trump has expressed strong support for Musk’s initiatives aimed at cutting federal expenditures.

The Republican president has also been critical of federal employees, particularly those preferring to work remotely, despite the administration’s simultaneous attempts to reduce federal office space and terminate work site leases across the government.

“No one will work from home,” Trump stated on Monday. “They’ll be out playing tennis, golfing, and doing all sorts of things instead of working.”

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Price reported from New York, with contributions from Associated Press writers Will Weissert, Lisa Mascaro, Josh Boak, and Collin Binkley in Washington; Carla Johnson in Seattle; Bryan Witte in Annapolis, Maryland; and JoNel Aleccia in Los Angeles.