Trump Orders Federal Workers Back to the Office Full-Time

In one of his many executive orders Monday, President Trump ordered federal employees to return to the office five days a week, ending remote work arrangements for many workers. "Heads of all departments and agencies in the executive branch of Government shall, as soon as practicable, take all necessary steps to terminate remote work arrangements and require employees to return to work in-person at their respective duty stations on a full-time basis," the order states, adding that department and agency heads "shall make exemptions they deem necessary."

The order won't cover all federal workers immediately, reports Reuters. Around a quarter of them are unionized, with agreements that cover remote work, though administration officials have suggested the deals could be undone. After the Social Security Administration agreed to a five-year extension of remote work arrangements last month, Trump said it was a "very terrible" move that he would go to court to reverse, the New York Times reports. "If people don't come back to work, come back into the office, they're going to be dismissed." he said.

In another order Monday, Trump removed protections from tens of thousands of government workers, CBS News reports. The order, which reinstates a 2020 directive reversed under Joe Biden, makes it easier to fire senior employees, something the White House says is necessary to remove "deep state" workers who oppose Trump's policies. It states that federal employees are required to "faithfully implement administration policies to the best of their ability, consistent with their constitutional oath and the vesting of executive authority solely in the President." The National Treasury Employee Union sued Trump in federal court Monday in an effort to block the order, reports Reuters. (More federal employees stories.)