Trump Extends Federal Hiring Freeze Until July 15: What It Means
On Thursday, President Trump signed a memo that prolongs the freeze on recruiting new government employees until July 15.
“Any currently empty federal civil service role cannot be occupied, and no fresh positions can be established, unless explicitly allowed within this directive or mandated by relevant legislation,” Trump stated in his communication with agency leaders.
On January 20, the first day of his second term, the president introduced a hiring freeze as part of an initiative to reduce the scale of governmental operations and encourage federal entities to adopt a “merit-based recruitment strategy.”
STAY CURRENT WITH RECENT DEVELOPMENTS BY JOINING THE MORNING REPORT NEWSLETTER.
The exemption from the freeze includes military staff as well as roles connected with immigration control, national defense, and community protection.
The White House is likewise excluded from the recruitment freeze.
“Using contractors from outside the Federal Government to bypass the intention of this memorandum is forbidden,” Trump cautioned.
The president additionally requested that agency leaders assess how they can utilize current staff and resources effectively to enhance public services and their distribution throughout this break period.
“Thus, this memorandum does not prevent reallocating resources or readjusting assignments to address critical requirements; sustain vital services; and safeguard national security, homeland security, as well as public safety,” the document went on to state.
Once the hiring freeze ends, “federal agencies can only bring in one new staff member for every four employees who leave federal service,” stated the White House, with certain exemptions for roles like immigration officers, law enforcers, and public protectors.
The White House characterized the freeze extension as a “vital measure to reduce the size of the federal government and guarantee that taxpayers’ money is utilized effectively.” They pointed out that during the last two years of President Biden’s term, the government accounted for one-quarter of all new jobs generated.
“President Trump is dedicated to reversing this pattern by emphasizing job expansion within the private sector and cutting back on the federal workforce to concentrate only on crucial roles,” stated the White House.
Over the past few months since the original halt, the Trump administration has taken steps to
terminate countless public sector workers
Across multiple federal organizations such as the Department of Education, the United States Agency for International Development, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.