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Federal agencies have submitted workforce reduction proposals to White House officials for review, with thousands of government employees potentially facing termination in the coming weeks, according to two sources familiar with the situation.

The agencies met President Donald Trump’s March 13 deadline to submit plans for a second round of staff reductions, part of his broader initiative to streamline what he considers an overly large and inefficient federal government.

While the review timeline remains open-ended, one source indicated the White House aims to complete the process by September’s end. “We’re going to take our time,” the source stated.

Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which spearheads Trump’s downsizing efforts, maintains oversight of key review aspects without direct involvement in examining individual documents, according to the second source. The review process is being managed primarily by DOGE, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Office of Personnel Management, without Trump’s direct participation.

“Some of the plans will be sent back because they’ll need more work and details,” the source explained. “Once they are approved, the agencies will go back and handle their reduction in force plans.”

The White House and OPM declined to comment, while OMB and DOGE did not respond to inquiries.

DOGE’s previous initiatives have already eliminated over 100,000 positions from the 2.3 million federal civilian workforce. These actions have sparked numerous legal challenges regarding probationary worker dismissals, agency closures, and DOGE staff access to sensitive systems.

Critics, including labor unions, Democrats, and governance experts, argue that Musk’s approach has created disorder, citing instances of worker terminations followed by rehirings, while questioning the claimed cost benefits. They suggest the initiative serves as a vehicle for the Republican Party to dismantle targeted agencies and programs.

Several agencies, including Veterans Affairs, Education, and the General Services Administration, have submitted revised workforce reduction plans. Education previously announced intentions to reduce staff by half, while Veterans Affairs proposed eliminating 80,000 positions.

“Many of the agencies will need to submit a monthly progress report on how they are proceeding with their plans,” the second source revealed.

While the total scope of upcoming reductions remains unclear, specific details have emerged. NASA plans to reduce positions in its diversity, equity, and inclusion program and Office of Technology, Policy and Strategy. The Food and Drug Administration’s second round of cuts will target areas including record management and laboratory safety personnel.