WASHINGTON, March 19 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Defense Department plans to cut 50,000 to 60,000 civilian jobs through firings, resignations and a hiring freeze in the coming months, local media reported on Tuesday.

Intending to cut 5 to 8 percent of the Defense Department's civilian workforce of roughly 900,000, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth aims to slash roughly 6,000 positions a month by not refilling roles as employees quit, ABC News reported, citing a senior defense official.

The Pentagon is going about the cuts in three ways: voluntary resignations, firing probationary workers and weeding out positions by not replacing employees who routinely leave, said the report.

The move is part of a larger effort by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration to cut the federal workforce.

The majority of the Pentagon's workforce reduction effort is voluntary so far. However, the department sought to cut some 5,400 probationary civilian workers last month, which has been put on hold due to legal challenges, said the report, adding that Hegseth is confident the cuts can be done without harming military readiness. Enditem

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