Recent reports reveal that the federal government spent up to $9.5 billion on employee leave in 2025, largely attributed to the Deferred Resignation Program (DRP) under the Trump administration. This initiative was designed to encourage essential federal workers to leave their positions, as nearly $7 billion was paid to employees who were not actively working. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) estimates that the overall cost of paid leave under the program reached $6.7 billion. Critics, including Senator Murray, have condemned the spending as a waste of taxpayer dollars.