TRUMP AND ELON'S HIRING FREEZE WILL EXEMPT SHIPBUILDING & MEDICAL STAFF
There is a hiring freeze affecting the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD); however, leadership is now providing exemptions for two essential functions—shipbuilders and medical treatment facilities. Trump’s administration will focus its cuts away from shipbuilding and healthcare efforts within the DoD because of their essential use in national security.
Shipbuilding & Medical Centers Exempt From DoD Hiring Freeze
The leadership of the Defense Department is breathing a sigh of relief. While Trump’s cuts continue to affect hiring practices within the DoD, shipbuilding and medical care centers are not going to be affected.
There is now an exemption to the DoD’s hiring freeze for shipyards, depots, and medical treatment facilities because of major concerns surrounding military readiness and working without proper staff.
Can Trump Deliver on His Promises?
Shipyard workers have become a hot topic among advocates and lawmakers, especially after President Trump announced plans to create a White House office focused on shipbuilding.
His goal? Reviving the struggling industry. China has dominated the market with 59% of new orders while the U.S. has only around 0.13%.
Concerns over a civilian defense hiring freeze sparked backlash, with 16 Democratic lawmakers warning that the policy was causing “chaos and uncertainty” and hurting shipyard growth and operational readiness.
The Pentagon agreed, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a memo clarifying that shipyard workers would be exempt from the freeze.
According to the memo, the “DoD will only hire mission-essential employees into positions that directly contribute to our warfighting readiness.”
Bipartisan Support
Other parts of the federal government won’t be so lucky, but for now, shipbuilding and medical staff members can relax a bit. This decision drew high praise from Republicans and Democrats alike.
“I’m relieved that the administration heard our calls to protect jobs that are vital to national security at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and at shipyards across the country from ill-considered hiring freezes,” said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), the second-ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Making Trump’s Shipbuilding Goals a Reality
It’s still unclear how the White House is going to implement a new office for shipbuilding because while both Trump and lawmakers want to protect the industry, coming together on how to best go about things is a different story.
If the U.S. is going to meet its goals over the next 30 years for the Navy, the Congressional Budget Office is estimating that the branch will need to spend more than $40 billion each year in an effort to expand its fleet.
As it stands, the Navy has 295 ships, but by 2027, due to retirements, there will only be 283. However, the Navy is still planning to have 381 ships by 2054, amid rising global tensions where naval warfare becomes more of a focal point.
Despite the exemptions for shipyards, the Defense Department still plans to reduce its civilian workforce by 8%, or about 60,000 workers, as part of broader efforts to streamline the federal bureaucracy.
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