Over 20,000 Federal Workers Accept Trump’s Offer of 8-Month Buyout

After President Donald Trump offered all federal workers the option to resign from their posts in exchange for eight months of paid vacation, at least 20,000 federal employees have accepted the unprecedented offer.

As reported by TownHall, the offer from President Trump applies to any and all federal employees who decide to resign by February 6, which will make them eligible for 7 to 9 months of severance. The 20,000 who have accepted thus far comprise about 1% of the federal workforce, with the Trump Administration aiming for as many as 5% to 10% to accept the offer. The total could increase significantly on Wednesday, with 24 hours left before the offer expires.

An anonymous Trump administration official said that “we expect more to come. If you see what’s happening at USAID, it’s just one piece of the puzzle,” referring to the controversial foreign aid agency that has since been targeted for complete elimination by President Trump and Elon Musk, the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

President Trump, alongside Musk, has vowed to drastically reduce the size of the federal government, cutting spending that is determined to be wasteful and eliminating jobs that are declared unnecessary. In addition to USAID, Trump has also set his sights on the Department of Education.

Shortly after returning to office on January 20, President Trump also signed an executive order mandating all federal workers to return to in-person work, finally bringing an end to COVID-era remote work practices that had continued long after the pandemic ended.