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Welcome to The Hill’s Defense & NatSec newsletter{beacon}
Defense &
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Defense &
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The Big Story
Pentagon moves to fire civilian workers with ‘speed and conviction’
The Pentagon has pulled key protections for its civilian personnel, directing managers to move with “speed and conviction” to fire underperforming workers, according to a memo issued one day before the U.S. government shut down.
© AP Photo
“Supervisors and human resources (HR) professionals are directed to act with speed and conviction to facilitate the separation from Federal service of employees performing unsuccessfully,” states a Sept. 30 memo signed by the Pentagon’s top personnel policy officer, Under Secretary of Defense Anthony Tata.
It also warns that managers will be held accountable if they don’t address “poor employee performance.”
The new guidelines, which became public Tuesday, have sparked fears that they could be used to push out anyone at the Pentagon who doesn’t agree with or toe the line on the Trump administration’s programs.
It’s unclear how many employees may have been fired since the memo took effect. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Hill.
Nearly half of the Defense civilian workforce — about 334,900 employees — have been furloughed for the shutdown, according to the department’s contingency plan released last month.
The Trump administration has attempted to fire thousands of furloughed employees while the government is closed — part of the president’s bid to greatly reduce the federal workforce in his second term — but the move has been blocked by a California federal court that found such cuts were likely illegal.
At the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been on the warpath to ousting those seen as standing in the way of President Trump’s agenda, which includes bringing a “warrior ethos” back to the U.S. military.
The memo now makes it easier for managers to fire Defense civilian personnel, with office heads told to cite criteria used in federal job evaluations known as Douglas Factors.
The factors allow managers “flexibility to address performance issues swiftly and effectively,” according to Tata.
“This approach empowers supervisors to act decisively when performance undermines [Defense Department] objectives, reinforcing a culture of excellence,” the memo states, adding later that every position supports the mission, “so deficiencies in any role can warrant strong action.”
Read the full report at thehill.com.
Welcome to The Hill’s Defense & National Security newsletter, I’m Ellen Mitchell — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond.
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Essential Reads
How policy will affect defense and national security now and in
the future:
Vance: Troops will get paid at end of week
Vice President Vance told reporters after the Tuesday Senate Republican policy lunch that 1.3 million military service members will get paid at the end of this week, despite the government shutdown that has dragged on for 28 days. “Will the troops get paid on Friday? Yes, we believe that we can continue to pay the troops on Friday,” Vance told reporters. “Unfortunately, we’re not going to be able to pay everybody because …
Netanyahu orders ‘forceful’ strikes in Gaza, threatening ceasefire
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the Israeli military to carry out “forceful” strikes in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, threatening the already fragile ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. “Following security consultations, Prime Minister Netanyahu has directed the military to immediately carry out forceful strikes in the Gaza Strip,” Netanyahu’s office said in a post on …
A timeline of US attacks off South America and what Congress has had to say
WASHINGTON (AP) — In less than two months, President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth say, the U.S. military has killed at least 57 people in 13 strikes against drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. Trump has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States. He has asserted the U.S. is engaged in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels, …
On Our Radar
Upcoming things we’re watching on our beat:
- The University of Virginia Miller Center will have an in-person and virtual discussion on “AI, national security, and democratic accountability,” tomorrow at 11 a.m.
- Georgetown University will hold a talk on “Current topics important to the transatlantic relationship, including trade and American-European cooperation on Ukraine,” with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, at 11 a.m. tomorrow.
- The Progressive Policy Institute will host a conversation on “Is the Ukraine War Spilling into Europe?” with Estonia Ambassador to the U.S. Kristjan Prikk, tomorrow 4 p.m.
- Atlantic Council will discuss “The Challenge of Supply Chain Resilience for Aerospace and Defense,” at 4 p.m. tomorrow.
In Other News
Branch out with a different read from The Hill:
Trump feuds across Latin America spark questions over region’s future
President Trump’s targeting of boats in Latin American waters has kicked off a dramatic shift in the U.S. approach to the region, one that threatens to upend many partnerships long relied on by the White House. The Trump administration has authorized military strikes on boats they claim are ferrying …
What We’re Reading
News we’ve flagged from other outlets:
- A timeline of US attacks off South America and what Congress has had to say (The Associated Press)
-
US military officials required to sign NDAs tied to Latin America mission, sources say (NBC News)
Trending Today
Two key stories on The Hill right now:
Live updates: Senate fails to reopen government for 13th time as SNAP battle takes center stage
The Senate on Tuesday failed to reopen the federal government for the 13th time, as the shutdown hit the four-week mark. It failed in a 54-45 … Read more
10 GOP senators co-sponsor Hawley’s SNAP funding bill
Ten GOP senators have signed on to back Sen. Josh Hawley’s (R-Mo.) bill to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as the government … Read more
Opinions in The Hill
Op-eds related to defense & national security submitted to The Hill:
- Canada is quietly building the trusted minerals base the Pentagon needs
- Trump’s strikes on coke boats are missing the root of the problem
- War with Maduro would carry immense risks
You’re all caught up. See you tomorrow!
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