Donald Trump’s second Term shake-up: Mass firings, buyouts, and policy overhauls

US President Donald Trump in his second term, has enacted sweeping changes across the federal government, including mass firings, staff buyouts, and agency overhauls. He has dismissed 17 inspectors general, removed prosecutors involved in past investigations against him, and initiated a review of FEMA. Additionally, he has eliminated diversity programs, mandated federal employees to return to the office, and restructured military policies, including reinstating troops discharged for refusing COVID-19 vaccines. His actions have sparked political controversy and legal challenges.

A look at the departments and individuals targeted by Trump's actions:

Federal employee buyouts: Downsizing the Government payroll

The White House has announced a voluntary buyout program for federal employees willing to leave their positions by February 6. These buyouts offer payouts equal to roughly seven months of salary, aiming to reduce government staffing. Additionally, most federal employees are being mandated to return to full-time, in-office work.

Inspectors General purge

On January 25, President Trump dismissed at least 17 inspectors general—officials responsible for ensuring accountability and preventing fraud within federal agencies. The administration claims this move is routine, yet critics argue that Trump bypassed the legal requirement of giving Congress a 30-day notice, a decision that even a key Republican has questioned.

Prosecutor firings: Shutting down investigations

Several career prosecutors working on investigations tied to Trump, including members of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s team, have been dismissed. These prosecutors were previously handling cases related to Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his handling of classified documents. With Trump’s re-election, both cases were dropped under Justice Department policy, which prevents the prosecution of a sitting president. Meanwhile, Trump appointed McHenry as acting Attorney General until the Senate confirms his nominee, Pam Bondi.

FEMA under review

During a visit to fire-ravaged California and storm-hit North Carolina on January 24, Trump suggested dismantling the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). He criticized the agency’s slow response times and proposed shifting disaster relief funds directly to states rather than distributing aid through FEMA. Despite urgent appeals from California’s Democratic leadership for federal disaster assistance, Trump has threatened to withhold aid.

Firing key officials: A massive leadership overhaul

Trump has vowed to remove over 1,000 officials appointed by Joe Biden. On January 22, he dismissed the heads of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Coast Guard before their terms expired and dissolved the Aviation Security Advisory Committee. An internal memo announced that all committee memberships were revoked in a bid to “eliminate the misuse of resources and refocus on national security priorities.”

Ending Diversity programs: DEI policies scrapped

In a major policy shift, Trump signed an executive order eliminating all federal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. The order places DEI staff on paid leave, bans the use of gender identity and preferred pronouns in federal agencies, and calls for a review of DEI-related contracts.

Pentagon overhaul: Military policy revisions

Trump has enacted sweeping changes at the Pentagon, including rolling back DEI initiatives within the military and reinstating troops previously discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine. He has also imposed restrictions on transgender service members by issuing an order that modifies military standards based on gender identity, a decision that has already prompted legal challenges from advocacy groups.