Judge clears way for Trump’s plan to downsize federal workforce with deferred resignation program

A federal judge on Wednesday cleared the way for President Trump’s plan to downsize the federal workforce with a deferred resignation program. U.S. District Judge George O’Toole Jr. in Boston found that a group of labor unions didn’t have legal standing to challenge the program, commonly described as a buyout. The deferred resignation program has been spearheaded by Elon Musk, who is serving as Trump’s top advisor for reducing federal spending. A Justice Department lawyer has called the plan a “humane off ramp” for federal employees who may have structured their lives around working remotely and have been ordered to return to government offices.