The Department of War cut its civilian workforce by more than 10% in 2025, dropping from 794,538 to 712,677 employees, according to Pentagon data. This reduction, led by Secretary Pete Hegseth under President Donald Trump, aimed to eliminate redundancies and refocus resources on military priorities. The changes emphasized voluntary departures to minimize involuntary separations.
In 2025, the Department of War implemented significant workforce reductions as part of a broader effort to strengthen the U.S. military. Pentagon data shows the civilian workforce shrank by 81,861 employees, a 10.3% decrease, from 794,538 at the start of the year to 712,677 by year's end. During this period, the department hired 29,347 new employees while processing 109,441 departures, including 14,606 involuntary and 94,835 voluntary exits.
Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the initiative in March 2025, framing it within his plan to rebuild the military in line with the Trump administration's vision. "To deliver on my commitment to urgently rebuild our military, revive the warrior ethos and deliver maximum deterrence, we must aggressively refocus every available resource towards our core mission," Hegseth stated. He stressed realigning the civilian workforce to support warfighters, consistent with his interim National Defense Strategy.
Key programs facilitated the voluntary reductions. The 2025 Voluntary Deferred Resignation Program allowed employees to resign effective September 30, 2025, while retaining full salary and benefits until then. It drew 70,481 applications, leading to 49,991 signed agreements. Separately, 6,600 employees departed through the Voluntary Retirement Authority.
A department official described the goal as "eliminate redundancies and ensure the Department operates as a well-oiled machine for our warfighters," noting alignment with presidential priorities. In April 2025, speaking to leaders at Quantico, Hegseth emphasized restoring the "warrior ethos" as fundamental, stating, "Everything starts and ends with warriors in training and on the battlefield." He highlighted shifting away from remote work and focusing on lethality, meritocracy, and readiness, adding that the changes were proceeding better than expected with strong retention among patriots in the force.
These measures reflect Hegseth's ongoing objectives of restoring ethos, rebuilding the military, and reestablishing deterrence, with workforce optimization prioritizing the right personnel in key roles.
