The Defense Department says it’s cutting 5,400 probationary workers starting next week and will put a hiring freeze in place.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed the Pentagon to come up with plans to cut 8% from the defense budget in each of the next five years, sources familiar with his plans told CBS News.

The Pentagon said on Friday it would start firing about 5,400 civilian employees who were on probation, the first moves by President Donald Trump's administration at the department to make good on its promise to reduce the federal workforce.