According to a report by Reuters, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) indicated in a planning document submitted to the White House in March this year that, in response to the 'Department of Government Efficiency' (DOGE) initiative advocated by President Trump and Elon Musk, it has achieved significant progress in a large-scale streamlining of its organization through a voluntary departure plan.

The document notes that any adjustments involving 'significant restructuring' must legally consult Congress, and changes exceeding specific budget thresholds also require Congressional approval. Following Trump's and Musk's call in February for federal agencies to propose 'large-scale' layoffs, the SEC submitted its own 'Workforce Streamlining and Restructuring Plan.'

The plan aims to mitigate the pressure for further layoffs through implemented voluntary departure measures. An SEC spokesperson declined to comment further, merely reiterating Chair Paul Atkins' public statements. Since Trump's inauguration, the government's significant spending cuts have raised concerns among SEC employees regarding political independence and future manpower conditions.

The SEC document also mentions that as of April, 600 employees had accepted the voluntary departure program, reducing the current total staff number to 4,300, which is the lowest level during Trump's tenure. In its recent budget request to Congress, the SEC proposed maintaining staffing at around 4,100 full-time positions.