Just before the start of the government shutdown, the Pentagon issued a memo from Under Secretary Anthony Tata urging supervisors to swiftly fire civilian employees with “unacceptable” performance, revoke key protections, and emphasize accountability for managers.
This move aligns with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s push to clear “debris” blocking Trump’s agenda, noting that “Personnel is policy.” These new guidelines follow activist judges blocking a prior mass-firing attempt.
Announcing the change, the Pentagon issued a memo. “Supervisors and human resources (HR) professionals are directed to act with speed and conviction to facilitate the separation from Federal service of employees performing unsuccessfully,” the document read, adding, “Every DoW position supports the mission, so deficiencies in any role can warrant strong action.”
Adding more context, the same document noted, “This approach empowers supervisors to act decisively when performance undermines DoW’s objectives, reinforcing a culture of excellence. Supervisors are to use the Douglas Factors in consideration of their action.”
Contextualizing the decision, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth issued a confident statement describing the necessity of filling the Pentagon with the right people. “The sooner we have the right people, the sooner we can advance the right policies. Personnel is policy,” the former Fox News anchor and current Secretary of War said.
Additionally, the Pentagon issued a statement to the media on why it is cutting the worst of its civilian employees, noting, “The Department is in the process of adapting to the new guidance outlined in Under Secretary of War Tata’s memo from September 30th and we have nothing specific to share at this time.”
Watch Hegseth Scorch DEI here:
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As the American Tribune reported, this is far from the first significant victory in the fight against the deep state. Recently, the Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration was legally justified to fire over 1,400 Education Department employees.
Reacting to the victory, President Donald Trump issued a message of victory. “The United States Supreme Court has handed a Major Victory to Parents and Students across the Country, by declaring the Trump Administration may proceed on returning the functions of the Department of Education BACK TO THE STATES,” he declared.
Building on these comments, Education Secretary Linda McMahon clarified what this decision means for normal Americans. She noted, “Closing the Department does not mean cutting off funds from those who depend on them – we will continue to support K-12 students, students with special needs, college student borrowers, and others who rely on essential programs.”
McMahon added, “As we return education to the states, this administration will continue to perform all statutory duties while empowering families and teachers by reducing education bureaucracy,” to conclude her comments on this matter.
Additionally, the Education Secretary has made it clear that the Department of Education has failed to protect Jewish students from woke attacks. “Since October 7, Jewish students have faced relentless violence, intimidation, and anti-Semitic harassment on their campuses – only to be ignored by those who are supposed to protect them,” she declared,
Building on this point, she noted, “University leaders must do better. U.S. colleges and universities benefit from enormous public investments funded by U.S. taxpayers. That support is a privilege, and it is contingent on scrupulous adherence to federal anti-discrimination laws.”