Pentagon removes key protections for civilian workers, moves to fire with ‘speed and conviction’

The Hill ^ | 10/28/25 5:49 PM ET | Ellen Mitchell

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The Pentagon has pulled key protections for its civilian personnel, directing managers to move with “speed and conviction” to fire underperforming workers, according to a memo issued one day before the U.S. government shut down.

“Supervisors and human resources (HR) professionals are directed to act with speed and conviction to facilitate the separation from Federal service of employees performing unsuccessfully,” states a Sept. 30 memo signed by the Pentagon’s top personnel policy officer, Under Secretary of Defense Anthony Tata. It also warns that managers will be held accountable if they don’t address “poor employee performance.”

The new guidelines, which became public Tuesday, have sparked fears that they could be used to push out anyone at the Pentagon who doesn’t agree with or toe the line on the Trump administration’s programs.

It’s unclear how many employees may have been fired since the memo took effect. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Hill.

Nearly half of the Defense civilian workforce — about 334,900 employees — have been furloughed for the shutdown, according to the department’s contingency plan released last month.

Of those remaining, about 24 percent are paid through sources other than the annual appropriations bill Congress has been unable to pass. Another 30 percent are considered “excepted” employees who must continue to work jobs such as those involved in providing medical care, emergency response or protecting human life.

Furloughed and excepted workers are not paid during a shutdown, but they are guaranteed back pay once the government reopens.

The Trump administration has attempted to fire thousands of furloughed employees while the government is closed — part of the president’s bid to greatly reduce the federal workforce in his second term — but the move has been blocked...

[JZelle]

Cool until Clinton appointed bitch overrides.

[sauropod]

She did.

[Mlheureux]

You mean they have to perform, like in the private sector? OMG!

[GingisK]

Move out with a purpose.