It’s a Start! The Swamp Is Draining Itself
20,000 deep-staters accept Trump buyout
Back before his first term began eight years ago, President Donald Trump promised the American electorate that, once in office, he would work steadfastly to “drain the swamp” in Washington, D.C., ostensibly referencing the tens of thousands of nameless, faceless federal bureaucrats who have no direct accountability to the American people.
Now in February 2025, it appears the swamp has begun draining itself after Trump offered a buyout that some of them seemingly couldn’t refuse.
According to a scoop from Axios, as of Tuesday, some 20,000 federal workers have already accepted the buyout, which was officially pitched a week ago. Those 20,000 employees represent approximately 1% of the federal workforce, a significant number, to be sure, but a far cry from the 5% to 10% of the workforce the Trump administration had originally projected.
The deadline to accept the buyout is still two days away, so officials are still expecting the number of resignations to increase, especially in light of the major shakeup at the U.S. Agency for International Development.
“We expect more to come,” one official told Axios. “If you see what’s happening at USAID, it’s just one piece of the puzzle.”
The terms of the buyout are indeed enticing. Those who accept it retain all existing benefits until the end of September without having to return to…