Trump's AI hiring campaign draws interest from 25,000 hopefuls

FILE PHOTO: Scott Kupor, Director of the US Office of Personnel Management, speaks with fellow attendees during a reception for Sergio Gor, the recently sworn-in US Ambassador to India, at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, US, Nov 10, 2025. REUTERS

Roughly 25,000 people have expressed interest in joining the Trump administration's cadre of engineers known as Tech Force, a senior Trump administration official said on Tuesday, as the US government looks to install staff with artificial intelligence expertise in federal roles.

The Trump administration will use that list to recruit software and data engineers, in addition to other tech roles, said Scott Kupor, director of the US Office of Personnel Management, in a post, opens new tab on X. Reuters could not independently verify the 25,000 figure.

The interested candidates will compete for 1,000 spots in the first Tech Force cohort. The recruits will spend two years working on technology projects inside federal agencies, including the Departments of Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs, and Justice, among other government offices, Kupor said previously.

The hiring initiative is part of the Trump administration's AI agenda. Previous US presidents have launched similar initiatives to bring tech talent into government, including former President Joe Biden.

President Donald Trump, in the first months of his second term, focused on eliminating government jobs, with exceptions for positions his administration said were necessary to maintain "national security." Tech Force is a departure from the downsizing campaign.