Trump Issues Executive Order Targeting Government Spending and Workforce Reduction

On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at reducing government waste and improving transparency in federal spending. The order directs federal agencies to use modern technology to transform spending on contracts and grants, subjecting them to rigorous standards. It mandates a government-wide review of contracts and grants for waste, fraud, and abuse, and directs agency heads to make government payments and travel expenses public where possible. Furthermore, the directive requires the General Services Administration to submit a plan to sell off or terminate leases for unnecessary federal properties. The Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Personnel Management sent a memo to federal departments and agencies, directing them to prepare for large-scale reductions in the federal workforce, with Agency Reorganization Plans due by March 13 and April 14, and an implementation date of Sept. 30.