General Services Administration shutters its technology unit

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General Services Administration shutters its technology unit

As part of the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to shrink the federal workforce, the General Services Administration eliminated its technology unit, CBS News learned Saturday.

The GSA’s tech unit, known as the 18F office, employed a team of researchers, website designers and product managers. It’s unclear exactly how many workers were impacted.

The office was responsible for helping build the Internal Revenue Service’s free tax-filing service and updating other government agency websites.

GSA Administrator Thomas Shedd announced the elimination of 18F in an internal email that was sent early Saturday morning. In it, Shedd wrote that the team had been identified as “non-critical,” and that the cuts had been made “in alignment with the President’s Workforce Optimization EO and the recent memo from GSA per the Trump Administration requiring cutting ‘non-essential consulting’ functions.” 

“The decision was made with explicit direction from the top levels of leadership within both the Administration and GSA,” the message read.

Shedd added that “we anticipate more change in the future.”

The

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for the 18F office was taken offline Saturday.

The GSA, first established in 1949, has about 12,000 employees and is tasked with a wide range of support services for other government agencies, such as managing office space and real estate, acquiring supplies and overseeing digital technology.  

Among its responsibilities is assisting with presidential transitions. After Mr. Trump won the November election, however, his transition team refused to sign a memorandum of understanding with the GSA as had been done by both Republicans and Democrats in previous transitions. That agreement allows for office space, secure email addresses and funding for transition staffing and other activities to be provided by GSA.

Billionaire Elon Musk, who is leading the White House’s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, has been charged by President Trump with reducing federal spending, a process which has so far involved laying off thousands of workers across the government.  

In a social media post Saturday, billionaire Mark Cuban, who campaigned for former Vice President Kamala Harris last year and has been critical of Mr. Trump,

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that if “you worked for 18F and got fired, Group together to start a consulting company.”

“It’s just a matter of time before DOGE needs you to fix the mess they inevitably create,” Cuban added. “They will have to hire your company as a contractor to fix it. But on your terms. I’m happy to invest and/or help.” 

Ed O’Keefe

Ed O’Keefe is CBS News senior White House and political correspondent. He previously worked for The Washington Post covering presidential campaigns, Congress and federal agencies. His primary focus is on President Biden, Vice President Harris and political issues across the country.

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