Trump Purge Hits Chips Act Office, Two-Fifths of Staff to Be Terminated: Report.
The Trump administration has laid off two-fifths of the staff at the U.S. Chips Program Office, responsible for managing the $52 billion Chips and Science Act, resulting in 60 job losses by the end of Monday. The office's budgeted funds have been contracted out, but more cuts are expected, raising concerns about the future of the program. The move is seen as a direct response to President Trump's opposition to certain stipulations included in the Biden-era Chips Office funding, such as unionization and paid parental leave.
- This purge highlights the vulnerability of government programs to executive whims and the potential for partisan politics to override careful planning and policy development.
- How will the collapse of this critical program impact the long-term competitiveness and innovation of the US semiconductor industry?