Trump's FY2027 Budget: Proposed Staffing Changes for Every Federal Agency
Apr 08, 2026
President Trump's FY2027 budget proposal lays out agency-by-agency staffing plans for the federal workforce. After cutting more than 300,000 federal employees in his first year in office, the administration is now proposing to hold the overall workforce roughly steady—but that headline masks dramatic shifts at individual agencies.
Important: These are proposed numbers. The budget must go through Congress before any of this becomes final. But the proposal tells us exactly what the administration is asking for—and what they're willing to sacrifice.
Below is a complete breakdown of the proposed staffing changes for every agency included in the budget data.
Agencies Facing Proposed Cuts
USDA – Proposed Cut: 24.3%
The Department of Agriculture faces the largest proposed percentage cut of any agency. A significant portion of this reduction stems from the proposed transfer of wildland firefighting duties out of the Forest Service and into the newly established U.S. Wildland Fire Service within the Interior Department. However, thousands of additional positions would be eliminated from forest management, research offices, and headquarters staff.
The Forest Service would lose positions beyond the firefighter transfers, with cuts targeted at forest management and research offices. USDA is also proposing to eliminate many smaller offices focused on research, energy, and tribal outreach. Additionally, the department is in the process of relocating thousands of employees out of its Washington headquarters and regional offices around the country—a move that historically leads to widespread departures.
NASA – Proposed Cut: 20%
NASA's Science Directorate alone would shed nearly 1,000 employees under this proposal—more than 40% of that directorate's workforce. Additional cuts would come from aerosciences testing programs.
Department of Education – Proposed Cut: 19.4%
The Education Department has already pushed out or laid off approximately half of its workforce. The FY2027 proposal would cut an additional 500 employees from program administration, the Office for Civil Rights, and the student aid office.
Department of Labor – Proposed Cut: 17.3%
Much of Labor's proposed reduction comes from the plan to transfer the Bureau of Labor Statistics to the Commerce Department. Additional cuts would result from eliminating various offices, including one charged with oversight of federal contractors.
GSA – Proposed Cut: 9.3%
The General Services Administration would face a nearly 10% workforce reduction.
FCC – Proposed Cut: 7.4%
The Federal Communications Commission would see a significant staffing reduction.
NRC – Proposed Cut: 7.2%
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission faces proposed cuts exceeding 7%.
Smithsonian – Proposed Cut: 6.5%
The Smithsonian Institution would face a proposed reduction of 6.5% of its workforce.
CFPB – Proposed Cut: 5.3%
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau would see more than a 5% reduction.
FDIC – Proposed Cut: 4.4%
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation faces a proposed cut of 4.4%.
OPM – Proposed Cut: 2.5%
The Office of Personnel Management would see a 2.5% reduction.
SBA – Proposed Cut: 2.4%
The Small Business Administration faces a proposed cut of 2.4%.
EPA – Proposed Cut: 1.9%
The Environmental Protection Agency would see a nearly 2% reduction. The agency's Inspector General has already flagged concerns about an overburdened workforce following earlier staffing cuts.
Treasury – Proposed Cut: 1.7%
While Treasury's overall proposed cut appears modest at 1.7%, the numbers within specific components are more significant. The Internal Revenue Service—which has already shed more than 20,000 employees under the Trump administration—is proposing to cut an additional 4,700 positions.
DHS – Proposed Cut: 1.5%
The Department of Homeland Security faces a proposed 1.5% reduction.
HHS – Proposed Cut: 0.4%
Health and Human Services would see a small proposed reduction of 0.4%.
State Department – Proposed Cut: 0.3%
The State Department faces a modest proposed cut of 0.3%. However, the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which falls under State's umbrella, would be fully eliminated under this proposal—all 800 remaining employees. State would set up an International Communications Activities account to fund USAGM's statutory duties, but the agency itself would largely cease to exist.
NSF – Proposed Cut: 0.2%
The National Science Foundation faces a small proposed reduction.
NLRB – Proposed Cut: 0.2%
The National Labor Relations Board would see a minimal proposed cut.
Agencies Proposed to Grow
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Proposed Growth: 8.8%
USACE would see the largest proposed percentage growth of any agency.
FTC – Proposed Growth: 7.5%
The Federal Trade Commission is proposed to grow by 7.5%.
Department of the Interior – Proposed Growth: 7.4%
Interior's proposed growth includes more than 13,000 employees who would transfer into the department's new U.S. Wildland Fire Service from the Forest Service. Outside of those transfers, Interior would actually lose approximately 14% of its workforce.
Component-level cuts within Interior are severe:
- U.S. Geological Survey: Would cut around 2,000 employees, or 29% of its workforce
- Bureau of Land Management: Would shed more than 2,100 employees, approximately 27% of its current workforce
- Bureau of Indian Affairs: Would slash 760 employees, or 21% of its workforce
- National Park Service: Would cut nearly 3,000 employees, or 18% of its workforce
Department of Commerce – Proposed Growth: 6.7%
Commerce's proposed growth stems mostly from Census Bureau hiring and the absorption of the Bureau of Labor Statistics from the Department of Labor. Meanwhile, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) would see a staffing cut of approximately 14%.
Department of Justice – Proposed Growth: 5.9%
DOJ is proposing a significant hiring surge:
- More than 3,200 new FBI employees
- Nearly 1,000 new staff at the U.S. Marshals Service
- Nearly 1,000 new staff at the Drug Enforcement Administration
- 500 new employees for immigration courts
- 145 new hires at the Bureau of Prisons
SEC – Proposed Growth: 3.8%
The Securities and Exchange Commission would see proposed growth of 3.8%.
EEOC – Proposed Growth: 3.3%
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is proposed to grow by 3.3%.
DOT – Proposed Growth: 2.5%
The Department of Transportation would see 2.5% proposed growth.
HUD – Proposed Growth: 2.3%
Housing and Urban Development is proposed to grow by 2.3%.
Department of Veterans Affairs – Proposed Growth: 2.1%
After cutting 30,000 employees and installing staffing caps across the country, VA is now proposing to add 9,000 workers—a growth of approximately 2%. Most of those hires would go to medical services. The agency says it will "hire strategically across our organization," with a particular focus on front-line staff.
Department of Energy – Proposed Growth: 2%
The Department of Energy would see proposed growth of 2%.
Social Security Administration – Proposed Growth: 1.2%
SSA is proposing to grow by 1.2% after shedding thousands of employees over the last 15 months. The agency says it will hire strategically, with a particular focus on front-line staff serving the public.
Department of Defense – Proposed Growth: 1.1%
DoD is proposing to add more than 8,000 civilian employees after slashing tens of thousands—growth of approximately 1%.
What This Means for Federal Employees
These proposed numbers reveal the administration's priorities: growth at law enforcement and regulatory agencies like DOJ, FTC, SEC, and EEOC, while scientific research (NASA, USGS, NOAA), land management (BLM, NPS, Forest Service), and domestic programs (Education, Labor) face significant proposed reductions.
If you work for an agency on the cut list, this proposal is a signal to start preparing now. That means documenting your performance, understanding your retention standing if a RIF occurs, and knowing your appeal rights.
If you work for an agency proposed to grow, that sounds like good news—but watch the component-level numbers carefully. Overall agency growth can mask deep cuts within specific offices or directorates.
Remember: This is a proposal, not law. Congress must pass the budget before any of these changes take effect. But this document tells us what the administration wants—and that's valuable information for every federal employee.
Southworth PC represents federal employees and applicants nationwide in MSPB appeals, EEO complaints, whistleblower retaliation cases, and related matters. This is not legal advice. For legal advice, contact a qualified federal employee attorney if you want to.
Sources: Government Executive, April 6, 2026; FY2027 Presidential Budget Proposal