Trump admin paid $9.5 billion to federal workers to stay home in 2025: Report

Trump administration spent $9.5 billion paying federal workers to do absolutely nothing, watchdog report says. The Trump administration spent an estimated $9.5 billion paying federal employees who were on administrative leave in 2025, as it moved to significantly reduce the size of the federal workforce, according to a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report.About $6.7 billion of the total was associated with the administration’s deferred resignation programme. The scheme was part of the workforce reduction effort led by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which was spearheaded by billionaire Elon Musk. Under the scheme, federal employees who agreed to resign could continue receiving their salaries through September 30, 2025.The GAO found that federal agencies’ use of paid administrative leave increased by 435% between 2023 and 2025. Reported workdays spent on administrative leave rose from about 4 million in 2023 to 21.6 million last year.The figures provide an estimate of the immediate cost of a major component of the Trump administration’s effort to reduce the federal workforce and government spending.The administration launched its deferred resignation pro...