The reason for the buyouts would be to bring the agency in line with the priorities of the new administration.
The CIA has offered buyouts to the entire workforce. Employees who take the deal would receive 8 months of pay and benefits. The reason for the buyouts would be to bring the agency in line with the priorities of the new administration.
It was reported that the reasoning behind this move is to “bring the agency in line with President Trump’s priorities, including targeting drug cartels,” The Wall Street Journal reported.
Two million other government employees were offered similar deals. Those with national security roles were not offered the buyout. The previous deal, per an email sent to staffers, said that employees must return to work in the office or resign. Workers have until February 6 to make their decision.
The CIA is also freezing hiring, including for those already given an initial offer, per John Ratcliffe, who said that these conditional offers could be revoked in the event that those potential hires “don’t have the right background for the agency’s new goals,” which include Trump’s plans on tariffs and trade wars and going to diplomatic battle with China.
During his confirmation hearing, Ratcliffe said, “To the brave CIA officers listening around the world, if all of that sounds like what you signed up for, then buckle up and get ready to make a difference. If it doesn’t then it’s time to find a new line of work.”
While the deal with the CIA workers is still emerging, the email to those other two million workers read, per The Wall Street Journal: “At this time, we cannot give you full assurance regarding the certainty of your position or agency but should your position be eliminated you will be treated with dignity and will be afforded the protections in place for such positions.” The subject line of that email was, “Fork in the Road.”
Some government offices will be relocated out of Washington, DC, per the White House, while there is an expectation that “the in-office requirement will prompt 5%-10% of federal employees to quit, and they said it could lead to $100 billion in savings annually,” per the Journal.