Washington, DC — Under the leadership of President Donald Trump, the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has delivered on the administration’s commitment to reform the federal workforce, making government leaner, more accountable, and more focused on results for the American people.

“President Trump was clear from day one: the federal workforce must be accountable, performance-driven, and focused on serving the American people,” OPM Director Scott Kupor said. “This year, OPM delivered on that vision – modernizing government operations, rewarding excellence, and putting taxpayers first.”

Creating to a Leaner, More Effective Government

In line with President Trump’s goal of a smaller, more efficient federal government, approximately 317,000 federal employees are expected to exit government service this year, with more than 90 percent leaving through voluntary programs and natural attrition. This was the largest reduction of the federal workforce in American history.

At the same time, the hiring freeze required that agencies only hire for mission-critical roles. Imposing this discipline meant that only 68,000 new federal employees were hired this year, a dramatic reduction from previous years that ensured government resources are focused on core statutory responsibilities and administration priorities, not bureaucratic expansion.

The Deferred Resignation Program resulted in approximately 154,000 voluntary resignations, allowing agencies to streamline non-essential roles while protecting critical operations and safeguarding taxpayer dollars.

OPM ended ineffective programs like the Federal Executive Institute and Federal Executive Boards, cutting its own headcount by one third while improving service delivery.

Restoring Merit-Based Hiring and Accountability

Fulfilling President Trump’s commitment to restoring merit and fairness in federal hiring, OPM modernized hiring practices across government to emphasize demonstrated skills, not subjective self-assessments.

In partnership with the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), OPM also directed agencies to develop annual headcount plans aligned with presidential priorities, statutory requirements, and efficient service delivery, ensuring agencies are staffed for their missions.

Agencies are also reassessing the federal government’s reliance on contractors, with more than $700 billion spent annually,  to ensure contractors supplement, rather than replace, full-time federal expertise, delivering better value for taxpayers.

OPM implemented the president’s mandate for federal workers to return to the office to improve training, accountability, and service delivery for the American people.

OPM helped implement President Trump’s Executive Orders ending collective bargaining at national security agencies, saving millions of dollars and improving government operations and national defense.

OPM strengthened probationary periods in the federal service to ensure newly-hired employees can perform the jobs they were hired to do.

Rewarding Excellence and Strengthening Leadership

Consistent with President Trump’s emphasis on accountability, agencies strengthened performance standards and modernized evaluation systems to ensure bonuses reward top performers and employees who identify waste, fraud, or abuse, reinforcing that performance matters in public service.

OPM also advanced leadership reform by introducing a new Senior Executive Service training program to ensure our government’s leaders are fully equipped with skills and knowledge to advance the administration’s priorities and drive transformational change across federal agencies.

OPM also led the comprehensive elimination of illegal and unfair so-called “diversity, equity and inclusion” (DEI) programs across government, ensuring that the federal workforce is hired, evaluated and paid based on merit.

Advancing President Trump’s Technology and AI Priorities

To support President Trump’s directive to secure America’s leadership in emerging technologies, OPM launched the US Tech Force, partnering with leading technology companies to recruit top technologists into government and modernize federal systems.

OPM and agencies are also modernizing critical infrastructure, including federal retirement processing, by expanding digital, paperless options that reduce delays, eliminate errors, and prevent improper or fraudulent payments. The result: faster service and stronger stewardship of taxpayer dollars.

OPM, in partnership with OMB and agencies, is leading an effort to consolidate over 100 disparate, outdated core HR IT systems across government as part of “Federal HR 2.0.”

Supporting the Workforce That Keeps Americans Safe

Following President Trump’s Alternative Pay Plan, OPM will use special salary rate authority to provide an additional approximately 2.8 percent pay increase for certain frontline law enforcement personnel, supporting recruitment, retention, and the administration’s commitment to public safety.