Trump Extends Federal Hiring Freeze Until October

A memo states that federal agencies may relocate or reassign staff ‘to meet the highest priority needs.’

President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House on June 5, 2025. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

President Donald Trump issued a memorandum on July 7 extending the federal hiring freeze until Oct. 15, while maintaining exemptions for positions related to the armed forces and public safety.

Trump initially imposed a hiring freeze in January, at the start of his second term. It was later extended through July 15. The president has now ordered another extension as part of an effort to improve the efficiency of federal agencies.

In the recent memo, Trump stated that “no federal civilian position that is presently vacant may be filled, and no new position may be created,” except for roles that are exempted or required by law.

Federal agencies are prohibited from “contracting outside the federal government to circumvent the intent of this memorandum,” while heads of agencies “shall seek efficient use of existing personnel and funds to improve public services and the delivery of those services,” the order stated.

The hiring freeze does not apply to military personnel or positions related to immigration enforcement, national security, and public safety. It also exempted positions in the executive office of the president.

The memo states that the Office of Personnel Management may continue to grant exemptions from this policy where necessary and that federal agencies may relocate or reassign staff “to meet the highest priority needs” or maintain essential services.

The hiring freeze that began in January was followed by mass layoffs across several federal agencies, with thousands of federal employees opting to leave under a buyout program offered by the Trump administration.

Among the affected agencies is the Department of Veterans Affairs, which announced on July 7 that it has laid off nearly 17,000 workers of its original workforce of 484,000 since January. The agency stated that another 12,000 employees are expected to leave by the end of September “through normal attrition, voluntary early retirement authority, or the deferred resignation program.”

These reductions in the workforce occurred in the wake of the Department of Government Efficiency’s efforts to eliminate fraud and reduce federal spending. The move has triggered legal action from several states, labor unions, and nonprofit organizations, which alleged that the Trump administration failed to obtain the necessary congressional authorization.

On July 1, District Judge Melissa DuBose ordered a halt to the overhaul of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), as the judge found that the layoffs implemented in April likely ran counter to federal law.

The judge granted a preliminary injunction sought by 19 states and the District of Columbia to block the workforce reductions at HHS, ruling that the agency’s actions were “arbitrary and capricious.”

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had earlier planned to lay off about 10,000 workers as part of a restructuring plan to improve the agency’s efficiency.

Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.