WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is signing a memorandum that freezes hiring for some federal government workers as a way to reduce payrolls and rein in the size of the federal workforce.
Trump’s directive is fulfilling one of his campaign promises. He told reporters that members of the military will be exempted from the hiring freeze.
The new president has vowed to take on the federal bureaucracy and the action could be the first step in an attempt to curtail government employment.
The memorandum signed by Trump’s is similar to one that President George W. Bush signed at the start of his administration in 2001.
Former President Barack Obama issued a two-year pay freeze on federal workers in 2010, which was later extended another year by Congress.
Also on Monday, Trump reinstated a ban on providing federal money to international groups that perform abortions or provide information about abortions and signed a memo to leave the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal — fulfilling another campaign pledge.
WTOP’s Jack Moore contributed to this report.
The post Trump issues hiring freeze for civilian federal workers appeared first on WTOP.
