The Trump administration escalated its effort to shrink the federal workforce, firing a new category of employees at the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) on Thursday. According to multiple sources and termination letters reviewed by Reuters, dozens of “term employees”—full-time staff on contracts with set end dates—were dismissed effective immediately. Some lost access to IT systems before receiving official notices.
The CFPB, led by acting director Russell Vought, and the Office of Management and Budget did not comment. The exact number of terminated employees remains unclear.
The firings are part of a broader push by President Donald Trump and aide Elon Musk to downsize the federal government, citing waste and inefficiency. Similar dismissals have occurred at the Department of Education and Small Business Administration. Critics argue the legality of these actions, as civil service employees are generally protected from arbitrary termination.
On Thursday, a CFPB employee union and organizations like the NAACP filed a lawsuit to block the administration’s efforts to dismantle the agency.
Termination letters, dated February 13, were sent by Adam Martinez, acting chief human capital officer. The dismissed employees had served over a year, meaning they were beyond the standard trial period. The letters informed them of possible recourse if they believed discrimination or whistleblower retaliation played a role.
This follows Tuesday’s firing of probationary staff and a weekend directive from Vought halting CFPB supervision activities. Erie Meyer, the CFPB’s chief technologist, stated on X that a team investigating big tech had been entirely dismissed: “Trump just fired them. All of them.”
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