At least 3,200 people have opted to take the Trump administration’s offer to leave the Department of Energy ahead of deeper spending and program cuts, according to multiple career staffers granted anonymity to speak candidly.
The staff exodus will significantly shape the future of the department — which currently has about 16,000 workers — and its ability to conduct research, boost new technologies and dole out large sums of money for various types of energy, even those underpinning the new president’s agenda.
More than 3,000 workers as of Friday evening had responded to a second deferred resignation offer. DOE said workers could resign now and get paid until the end of the fiscal year. Employees had until 11:59 p.m. on Friday to take the offer, so the final tally could be higher than 3,200.
“It’s difficult to stay motivated and continue the mission when you know your expertise is only taken so seriously,” said one career staffer who took the offer and spoke on condition of anonymity to explain their reason for leaving.
