The buyout is one of many approaches Trump is taking to slash a civilian workforce of 2.3 million that he has blasted as ineffective and biased against him.

A federal judge ruled Saturday that President Donald Trump’s firing of a federal workforce watchdog was illegal — teeing up a Supreme Court showdown over the president’s claim to nearly absolute control of the executive branch.

Buyout offer made to federal employees. Trump's administration offered buyouts to nearly all 2.3 million federal employees. The offer came in a surprise email that hit in

Thousands of workers have been fired by the Trump administration as part of its effort to slash the federal workforce.

There are an estimated 200,000 probationary workers — generally employees who have less than a year on the job — across federal agencies.

A federal judge in San Francisco has ruled that the Trump administration's recent wave of probationary government employee firings was likely illegal. Judge William Alsup said Thursday that the Office of Personnel Management that has overseen and guided many of the U.