Pentagon won’t say how many civilians have left since February

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth set a goal in February for the Defense Department: shed 5 to 8 percent of the civilian workforce , or roughly 60,000 employees. To accomplish that goal, the Pentagon first instituted a hiring freeze and attempted to lay off hundreds of probationary employees. Then it offered a deferred resignation program that allowed employees to quit working but still be paid through September, while offering early retirement to longtime employees.

Now, the defense secretary’s office refuses to say how much the workforce has shrunk this year, as it moves forward with a comprehensive review aimed at further slashing numbers of civilian employees.

“Certain near-term changes in workforce structure, composition, and workforce will be reflected in the department’s fo