Trump administration paid $9.5 billion in leave for federal employees in 2025, due to DOGE-era buyout program
The Trump administration spent $9.5 billion on employee administrative leave costs in 2025, a sixfold increase from 2023 that was spurred by the administration’s push to cut down the federal workforce. According to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report published Tuesday, the use of paid administrative leave increased by 435% from 2023 to 2025. They…