What recent employment and trade policy actions has the Trump administration taken that could significantly impact the federal workforce and international trade relationships?

The Trump administration has initiated a mass firing of federal workers, specifically targeting probationary employees who have been on the job for less than one or two years. These workers lack full civil service protections, making them vulnerable to dismissal as officials from the Office of Personnel Management advised agency leaders to terminate these positions. Simultaneously, President Trump announced plans to impose reciprocal tariffs on trade partners, including longstanding allies. This dual approach of reducing federal employment while implementing aggressive trade policies represents a significant shift in both domestic workforce management and international economic relations. These actions create widespread uncertainty for hundreds of thousands of federal workers while potentially straining diplomatic and economic relationships with allied nations through the proposed tariff measures.