According to two sources, over 2,600 employees of the U.S. Department of Energy have chosen to accept the Trump administration’s second round of resignation offers, impacting offices focused on power grid stability and financing for high-tech energy projects. This number is more than double the amount of staff who accepted the initial round of offers in January. The figure may rise further in the coming weeks as employees over 40 are given an additional 45-day period to consider the offer. The administration extended a financial incentive to 2 million federal workers earlier this year, including DOE employees, as part of President Trump and Elon Musk’s efforts to reduce the size of the federal government. The acceptances of resignations within the DOE, which employs around 17,000 people, coincided with warnings that additional layoffs may occur. Energy Secretary Chris Wright notified department staff via email that a significant reduction in force may be necessary to align with the administration’s strategic priorities. Some essential employees, such as those involved in safety, national security, and law enforcement, may not be eligible to accept the resignation offer. While the DOE spokesperson could not confirm the exact number of employees who accepted the second round of offers due to an extended deadline, it was mentioned that approval is required for all requests. It was reported that most staff in specific offices, such as the Policy Office, Grid Deployment Office, and Loan Programs Office, have accepted the offers. Other offices, including Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains, as well as Clean Energy Deployment, have also been significantly affected.
