The Trump administration’s “Fork in the Road” program, a deferred resignation initiative, has created significant upheaval within federal government agencies, particularly those involved in space programs, policy, and intelligence.
While the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance specifically excludes military personnel, U.S. Postal Service employees, and roles related to national security and public safety, the buyout program was extended to civilian employees in agencies with crucial space-related missions. Introduced on January 28 by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the program allows federal employees to resign by February 6, retaining full pay and benefits until September 30. This mirrors a similar strategy Musk used at Twitter in 2022, but its implementation within government agencies has sparked legal and operational concerns.
Spokespersons from various space, defense, and intelligence agencies – including NASA, the Department of the Air Force, the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), and the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) – confirmed that their civilian employees received the buyout offer and are adhering to OPM guidelines. The NGA, a hybrid defense-intelligence agency with approximately 14,500 employees, provides geospatial intelligence. The NRO, employing roughly 3,000 personnel, operates the nation’s spy satellites. The Department of the Air Force employs about 170,000 civilians, with approximately 4,600 supporting the U.S. Space Force. NASA, employing around 18,000 civil servants, and the FCC, with approximately 1,800 employees, are also affected.
The “Fork in the Road” program’s rollout has caused confusion and controversy, as agencies grapple with interpreting the guidance. OPM stated that individual agencies have the discretion to exclude specific positions, but the number of workers this would affect remains unclear. A federal judge issued a temporary injunction delaying the February 6 resignation deadline to at least February 10, following legal challenges from federal employee unions. The initiative is expected to reduce the federal workforce by approximately 10%. President Trump’s aim to shrink the government is driving this program, which also seeks to reshape the workforce, requiring a physical return to work, updated performance standards, and federal hiring process reform.