Trump Offers Buyout to Nearly All Federal Workers in Effort to Drain the Swamp

The Trump administration began sending emails to thousands of federal employees on Tuesday evening, offering them an opportunity to voluntarily leave their positions while continuing to receive their salaries for several months.

The email was tied to President Donald Trump’s executive order mandating that federal employees return to in-person work.

According to sources cited by DailyMail.com, the message included details of a separation package, allowing employees to voluntarily exit the federal workforce before DOGE begins identifying potential budget cuts.

A spokesperson for the Office of Personnel Management stated that employees who accept the offer would be placed on administrative leave with full pay through September 30.

This development comes as many federal employees consider resigning amid Trump’s return to Washington, D.C. His administration has already dismissed senior Justice Department officials involved in his criminal prosecution and placed other high-ranking officials on paid leave.

Meanwhile, the president has directed federal agencies to develop and enforce policies requiring all federal employees to return to full-time, in-office work.

A Senate report reveals that only 6% of federal employees work in-person full-time, while nearly one-third are fully remote—a sharp increase from the 3% who teleworked daily before the pandemic. Office occupancy in Washington, D.C., remains low, with just 12% of buildings occupied during the workweek, highlighting the federal workforce’s continued reliance on telework despite return-to-office mandates.