A Supreme Court decision last week said President Trump has the authority to cut the size and scope of the federal government allowing planned reductions in force to resume. In addition to those efforts, the administration’s 2026 budget request details how many employees the executive branch intends to cut in the coming year. It proposes a government wide 5 percent reduction in employees compared to the final year of the Biden administration.
The Agriculture Department is targeted for the most cuts, with the budget calling for a reduction of more than 31,000 employees — about 35 percent of its 91,000work force from last year’s level. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is slated to lose 2481 employees or 39 percent primarily from its Conservation Operations and a 92 percent (525) cut from its Farm Security and Rural Investment Programs.