WASHINGTON—Nearly six months into President Trump’s second term, voluntary departures from the government have thinned the ranks so much that some agencies are saying more cuts aren’t necessary after all.

Already, about 17,000 VA jobs have been vacated since Jan. 1 through a combination of deferred resignations, retirements, normal attrition and department hiring freezes, officials said. Another 12,000 posts are expected to be cleared out over the next two and a half months.

A rally is expected, with supporters “clapping out” departing State Department employees and protesting the layoffs at 4 p.m. Friday.

The Department of Veterans Affairs announced Monday it is walking back plans for mass layoffs at the agency but says it will still shed tens of thousands of jobs by the end of fiscal year 2025.

Offering inducements for voluntary layoffs seems like a sensible place to start since the majority of county expenditures go to staffing and operating the programs and services provided to county residents.

Top Republican senators criticized Gov. Wes Moore’s voluntary separation plan for state employees Friday, saying that he originally ignored GOP ideas to thin out Maryland’s workforce.

The Veterans Affairs Department has signifcantly scaled back on its layoffs after fierce criticism, though some experts warn it will still cause issues.

The Department of Veterans Affairs announced it will reduce its staff by nearly 30,000 employees by the end of 2025.