CUTS TO GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CHARGE CARD LIMITS ARE IMPACTING DOD EMPLOYEES
Imagine you’re on a business trip, and your boss tells you to come back immediately. Now, you have to do so but the company card isn’t working. Such scenarios became reality for many working in The Pentagon, as Elon Musk capped government travel charge cards with $1, yes, a literal buck, while banning travel and ordering those on work trips to come home immediately. Somehow, this has caused problems, and now, many within the federal government are finding it difficult to do their jobs.
Government Travel Charge Card Limit Cut From $10,000 to $1
As the Pentagon pushes forward with mass layoffs, civilian employees are facing strict spending limits of only $1 for their government travel charge card.
New memos issued this week have effectively halted the use of government travel and purchasing credit cards, ordering employees currently traveling to return immediately.
One memo slashes the spending limit on government cards to just $1, making them practically useless for work-related expenses.
As mentioned in one of the memos, "The use of government-issued accounts to fund activities initiated on or before Feb. 26, 2025, will cease as soon as feasible within the bounds of law."
These restrictions coincide with The Pentagon’s plan to lay off 5,400 civilian workers and reduce its workforce by up to 8%.
Steven Morani, The Pentagon’s Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment, issued the order limiting government purchase cards.
Typically, these cards cover essential expenses, from office supplies to purchases of up to $10,000. Now, with the new restrictions, even basic operational spending is grinding to a halt.
With thousands of employees losing jobs and others unable to cover routine expenses, The Pentagon is undergoing one of the most dramatic shake-ups in recent history.
Work Trips Also Enduring Cuts
While it’s not clear how these harsh spending limits are affecting the way The Pentagon operates, various federal agencies are reporting issues accomplishing even the most basic of everyday tasks.
There is an exemption for "disaster relief or natural disaster response benefits or operations, or other critical services," along with contracts already in place, and they will remain active until April 9, 2025.
Still, at the very least, those working for the Defense Department are having issues with their travel arrangements, which have been abruptly altered due to another memo.
"Effective immediately, the use of all government-issued travel charge cards by DoD civilian employees is suspended for all travel that is not exempted," said a memo sent by Darin Selnick, a staff assistant and advisor to the Secretary of Defense.
It’s worth noting that the exception made for those traveling if an individual is conducting "direct support of military operations or a permanent change of station."
Multiple Federal Agencies Affected
The full impact of The Pentagon’s new travel and spending restrictions involving government travel charge cards remains unclear, especially if they're only temporary.
However, there is some doubt, seeing as Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has already had to backtrack inflated figures about how much they've saved taxpayers so far, lacking concrete evidence.
Meanwhile, the real effects of these cuts are becoming apparent, with civilian employees in at least four agencies—including the Defense Health Agency, Defense Logistics Agency, and the Navy—being abruptly fired.
Government Travel Charge Card Caps Not the Only Issue Affecting the Military Community
Everything impacting the government travel charge card limits and work trips is just part of the problem. Many people within the military community are facing a variety of negative consequences.
For example, families at Hill AFB in Utah are facing fewer childcare services due to job losses, and attendance at the Air and Space Forces Association Warfare Symposium in Colorado was down.
The changes to the government travel charge card limits and work schedules are only part of an evolving puzzle that continues to get more and more complex for the military community as a whole.
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