Over 15,000 USDA workers accept Trump-era payouts to leave their jobs
More than 15,000 employees at the US Department of Agriculture have accepted financial incentives to leave their posts, as part of President Donald Trump's ongoing efforts to downsize the federal workforce. According to a USDA briefing shared with congressional staff and reviewed by Reuters, this represents roughly 15% of the department's total employees.
The departures follow two rounds of what the administration has called the
Deferred Resignation Program
. In February, nearly 3,900 staff signed agreements to leave. That number surged in April, with over 11,300 additional contracts finalised, bringing the total to 15,182. The USDA has said that figure may still rise as older staff were given more time to decide and some who agreed to resign have yet to sign their contracts.
A spokesperson confirmed the resignations and said Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins is focused on improving the department's efficiency. Those exiting include hundreds of frontline Farm Service Agency employees and thousands from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, both of which play key roles in assisting American farmers.
The move comes alongside broader cuts across government departments, with intelligence agencies also targeted. The Trump administration reportedly plans to reduce CIA staff by 1,200 over several years, while thousands of roles at the NSA and other agencies could also be axed. The CIA noted some cuts will come from early retirements and slowed hiring, and defended the downsizing as a 'holistic strategy' to better align with national security priorities.
Diversity, equity and inclusion programmes across intelligence bodies have also been scrapped, though legal challenges are ongoing. Meanwhile, the administration has removed several top officials, including the head of the NSA and Cyber Command, further signalling the scope of the shake-up.
While the job market nationwide remains relatively steady — with 177,000 new jobs added in April — concerns are growing that Trump's tariff policies and domestic spending cuts could ultimately cool economic momentum. Economists warn that shrinking the federal workforce could hurt job growth and trigger wider repercussions, especially for sectors dependent on public funding or contracts.
For now, the unemployment rate remains low at 4.2%. But the long-term effects of Musk-backed federal cutbacks under the Department of Government Efficiency may yet reveal deeper consequences for American workers and government services alike.
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