Trump Administration’s Targeted RIFs: Rewriting the Administrative State Amid Federal Worker Distress

1. Introduction: Sustained Anxiety Among Federal Workers

Over the past year, federal employees have faced persistent anxiety as the Trump administration implemented aggressive personnel actions. Since Donald Trump’s second term began, the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), led by figures like Elon Musk, and subsequent agency-specific layoffs have created an atmosphere of uncertainty. By July 2025, over 150,000 federal workers had resigned or been fired, according to The Washington Post.

2. Latest Round of Reductions in Force (RIFs): Scale and Targeted Impact

After a temporary lull in arbitrary cuts earlier this spring, the administration has escalated its campaign with targeted RIFs—reductions in force—aimed at specific agencies and programs. A July 2025 court filing from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) revealed over 4,000 federal employees were affected, with the Treasury and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) bearing the brunt: combined, they lost 2,500 jobs, including the entire Washington, DC CDC office. The Department of Education eliminated nearly all special education staff, while the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Energy (DOE), and Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) saw cuts ranging from dozens to hundreds of positions, per CNN reporting.

3. Employee Reactions: Anxiety, Demoralization, and Administrative Uncertainty

Federal workers, speaking anonymously to share candid experiences, described the RIFs as demoralizing and politically motivated:

3.1 Retribution and Legal Concerns

“It’s clear this administration will act illegally to punish agencies it opposes,” an FDA employee told WIRED, referencing the Trump administration’s use of government resources (e.g., websites) to blame Democrats for shutdowns—a practice critics claim violates the Hatch Act, which prohibits political messaging via public assets. Another IRS worker echoed fear: “People are terrified. Who openly admits their goal is to traumatize families?”

3.2 Operational Chaos and Adaptation

“Every day is an adventure: new executive orders, new memos,” a DHS employee noted. “We’re constantly pivoting—what to start, stop, or sustain. It’s exhausting.” The lack of stability, they added, reflects a broader strategy to “reorient the government away from what the president calls ‘Democrat’ priorities.”

4. Strategic Motivations: Rewriting the Administrative State

These RIFs are not random; they target programs aligned with Democratic priorities: public health initiatives, housing grants, homelessness services, special education, and environmental cleanup, per CNN. The IRS’s technology modernization projects were also hit, with cuts threatening critical government functions. The result, analysts suggest, is a “quiet rewrite of the administrative state,” as agencies are forced to abandon policies deemed contrary to the Trump administration’s agenda.

5. Partisan Retribution and Political Instrumentalization

The administration’s rhetoric underscores a political motive: Trump publicly blamed Democrats for potential cuts, framing RIFs as “accountability” rather than budget-driven reform. A leaked OMB email instructed agencies to prioritize projects “not consistent with the President’s priorities,” signaling retribution over efficiency. This aligns with broader efforts to hijack government resources (e.g., websites) to discredit political opponents, violating legal norms.

6. Employee Frustration: “Pawns in a Political Game”

Workers, many of whom live paycheck-to-paycheck, express exhaustion at being used as political tools. “I just need to know—will they RIF all federal employees if there’s no deal?” one worker asked, referencing fears of a September shutdown. Another IRS employee added: “I’m so tired of being a pawn. Is WIRED hiring?”

7. Conclusion: Uncertainty and the Future of Federal Governance

The Trump administration’s RIF strategy represents a deliberate overhaul of the administrative state, prioritizing partisan goals over institutional stability. For federal workers, the “adventure” of daily executive orders and memos has become a crisis of morale and livelihood, with little clarity on the next phase of cuts.

This is an excerpt from Jake Lahut’s Inner Loop newsletter. Read previous editions here.