WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal agencies are being instructed to create strategies for eliminating certain employee roles, according to a memo released by the administration of President Donald Trump. This initiative could signal a significant restructuring of the U.S. government.

This directive builds on President Trump’s ongoing efforts to reduce the size of the federal workforce, which he has labeled as excessive and a hindrance to his policy goals. Thousands of probationary staff have already been terminated, and the focus is now shifting toward career employees who enjoy civil service protections.

Agencies are required to submit their plans for what is termed a reduction in force (RIF) by March 13. This process not only involves laying off employees but also entails entirely abolishing certain positions, which could lead to transformative changes in governmental operations.

“The federal government is expensive, inefficient, and significantly in debt,” reads the memo authored by Russell Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, alongside Charles Ezell, acting director of the Office of Personnel Management—essentially the government’s human resources division. “Furthermore, it is failing to deliver results for the American citizenry.”

Trump alluded to this objective in an executive order he signed with Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur advising him on governmental reform.

The directive emphasized that agency leaders “must swiftly take steps to prepare for large-scale workforce reductions,” or RIF.

Some departments have already initiated this process. For instance, the General Services Administration, responsible for federal real estate management, informed its employees on Monday about an ongoing reduction in force, assuring them that they would “do everything possible to ensure that your departure is fair and dignified.”

This memo emerged as Trump geared up for the first Cabinet meeting of his second term, during which he planned to include Musk, who heads the newly established Department of Government Efficiency, known informally as DOGE.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt informed the media that “all Cabinet secretaries will adhere to the guidance and direction provided by DOGE.” She added, “They will offer updates on their ongoing efforts, as well as share insights into the policies they are implementing in alignment with the commitments made by the president during his campaign.”

Musk has stirred controversy in the federal workforce, particularly by urging employees to validate their roles or face potential dismissal. The Office of Personnel Management later clarified that this measure was voluntary.