President Donald Trump extended the federal government’s hiring freeze to July 15 in a memorandum signed Thursday. 

“No Federal civilian position that is presently vacant may be filled, and no new position may be created, except as otherwise provided for in this memorandum or required by applicable law,” Trump wrote.

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He first signed the federal hiring freeze on Jan. 20, and it was set to expire April 20.

Military personnel and positions related to immigration enforcement, national security, and public safety are exempt from the hiring freeze. However, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth initiated his own hiring freeze last month. 

The hiring freeze must not negatively impact the administration of Social Security, Medicare, or veterans’ benefits.

Trump said the hiring freeze on the Internal Revenue Service will only be lifted once the Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent consults with the Directory of the Office and Business Management Director and DOGE administrator Elon Musk and come to the conclusion that it is in “national interest” to end the hiring freeze. This notice must then be published in the Federal Register.

WHAT IS DOGE? WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY

It is the goal of the Trump administration, through the implementation of DOGE, to reduce the size of the federal workforce by 10%. 

So far, through mass layoffs, the Fork in the Road initiative, a package that offered workers benefits through September upon resignation and planned reductions, the Trump administration is predicting to see a 12% reduction in the federal workforce. There have been 56,230 confirmed cuts, 76,100 employees who took the buyouts and at least 146,320 planned reductions, according to data collected by the New York Times.