After cost-cutting blitz, Trump administration rehires lots of of laid-off workers

By JOSHUA GOODMAN and RYAN J. FOLEY

MIAMI (AP) — A whole bunch of federal workers who misplaced their jobs in Elon Musk’s cost-cutting blitz are being requested to return to work.

The Normal Providers Administration has given the workers — who managed authorities workspaces — till the top of the week to just accept or decline reinstatement, based on an inner memo obtained by The Related Press. Those that settle for should report for responsibility on Oct. 6 after what quantities to a seven-month paid trip, throughout which period the GSA in some circumstances racked up excessive prices — handed alongside to taxpayers — to remain in dozens of properties whose leases it had slated for termination or had been allowed to run out.

“Finally, the end result was the company was left damaged and understaffed,” stated Chad Becker, a former GSA actual property official. “They didn’t have the folks they wanted to hold out primary features.”

Becker, who represents homeowners with authorities leases at Arco Actual Property Options, stated GSA has been in a “triage mode” for months. He stated the sudden reversal of the downsizing displays how Musk and his Division of Authorities Effectivity had gone too far, too quick.

Rehiring of purged federal workers

GSA was established within the Nineteen Forties to centralize the acquisition and administration of 1000’s of federal workplaces. Its return to work request mirrors rehiring efforts at in a number of businesses focused by DOGE. Final month, the IRS stated it could enable some workers who took a resignation provide to stay on the job. The Labor Division has additionally introduced again some workers who took buyouts, whereas the Nationwide Park Service earlier reinstated quite a few purged workers.

Vital to the work of such businesses is the GSA, which manages lots of the buildings. Beginning in March, 1000’s of GSA workers left the company as a part of packages that inspired them to resign or take early retirement. A whole bunch of others — these topic to the recall discover — had been dismissed as a part of an aggressive push to cut back the dimensions of the federal workforce. Although these workers didn’t present up for work, they had been to be paid by way of the top of this month.

GSA representatives didn’t reply to detailed questions in regards to the return-to-work discover, which the company issued Friday. Additionally they declined to debate the company’s headcount, staffing choices or the potential price overruns generated by reversing its plans to terminate leases.

“GSA’s management crew has reviewed workforce actions and is making changes in one of the best curiosity of the shopper businesses we serve and the American taxpayers,” an company spokesman stated in an electronic mail.

Democrats have assailed the Trump administration’s indiscriminate method to slashing prices and jobs. Rep. Greg Stanton of Arizona, the highest Democrat on the subcommittee overseeing the GSA, informed AP there is no such thing as a proof that reductions on the company “delivered any financial savings.”

“It’s created pricey confusion whereas undermining the very companies taxpayers rely on,” he stated.

DOGE recognized the company, which had about 12,000 workers at first of the Trump administration, as a chief goal of its marketing campaign to cut back fraud, waste and abuse within the federal authorities.

A small cohort of Musk’s trusted aides embedded in GSA’s headquarters, generally sleeping on cots on the company’s sixth ground, and pursued plans to abruptly cancel practically half of the 7,500 leases within the federal portfolio. DOGE additionally wished GSA to promote lots of of federally owned buildings with the objective of producing billions in financial savings.

GSA began by sending greater than 800 lease cancellation notices to landlords, in lots of circumstances with out informing the federal government tenants. The company additionally printed a listing of lots of of presidency buildings that had been focused on the market.

DOGE’s large job cuts produced little financial savings

Pushback to GSA’s dumping of its portfolio was swift, and each initiatives have been dialed again. Greater than 480 leases slated for termination by DOGE have since been spared. These leases had been for places of work scattered across the nation which are occupied by such businesses because the IRS, Social Safety Administration and Meals and Drug Administration.

DOGE’s “Wall of Receipts,” which as soon as boasted that the lease cancellations alone would save practically $460 million, has since lowered that estimate to $140 million by the top of July, based on Becker, the previous GSA actual property official.

In the meantime, GSA launched into large job cuts. The administration slashed GSA’s headquarters employees by 79%, its portfolio managers by 65% and amenities managers by 35%, based on a federal official briefed on the state of affairs. The official, who was not approved to talk to the media, supplied the statistics on situation of anonymity.

Because of the inner turmoil, 131 leases expired with out the federal government truly vacating the properties, the official stated. The state of affairs has uncovered the businesses to steep charges as a result of property homeowners haven’t been in a position to hire out these areas to different tenants.

The general public could quickly get a clearer image of what transpired on the company.

The Authorities Accountability Workplace, an unbiased congressional watchdog, is analyzing the GSA’s administration of its workforce, lease terminations and deliberate constructing disposals and expects to concern findings within the coming months, stated David Marroni, a senior GAO official.

Foley reported from Iowa Metropolis, Iowa.

Initially Printed: September 23, 2025 at 4:20 PM PDT