Trump Administration's Deferred Resignation Program Cost $6.7 Billion in 2025, Watchdog Estimates
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) estimates that the Trump administration's Deferred Resignation Program (DRP) cost over $6.7 billion in 2025, contributing to a sixfold surge in agencies' use of paid administrative leave. This figure represents approximately 70% of the government's total paid administrative leave spending for the year, which reached about $9.5 billion—a 435% increase since 2023. The DRP, designed by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to reduce the federal workforce, saw roughly 144,000 federal employees participate, spending weeks or months on paid administrative leave before separating from their jobs. OPM Director Scott Kupor, while acknowledging the increased spending, projects that the DRP will ultimately save the government $20 billion annually, arguing that the administrative leave costs are one-time expenses while savings recur each year. However, the exact cost of the DRP remains unclear, with estimates varying from $4.5 billion by the Partnership for Public Service ...
