One of the upcoming steps in President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s extensive efforts to reduce the number of government workers and limit government operations involves leveraging the agency responsible for managing thousands of federal employee workspaces across the country to minimize office space.

Last week, regional managers of the General Services Administration (GSA) received an instruction from the agency’s Washington headquarters to begin ending leases on approximately 7,500 federal offices nationwide, according to an email obtained by The Associated Press from a GSA employee.

This directive appears to contradict Trump’s own mandate for federal employees to return to office, further complicating an already difficult task for the GSA, which has been scrambling to find workspaces, internet connections, and office security credentials for employees who have worked remotely for years.

However, this move may align with the Trump administration’s belief that fewer office spaces will be necessary due to its efforts to reduce the number of employees or push them to resign.

Here’s what you should understand about the GSA and how Trump’s Republican administration is utilizing it in its efforts to bring change to other federal agencies:

The GSA is an independent entity functioning as the federal government’s real estate manager, overseeing federal property for various agencies. Established by President Harry S. Truman in 1949, the GSA streamlined the administration of procuring office spaces for federal employees, tasks previously handled by multiple entities.

Originally, in the aftermath of World War II, the GSA was responsible for disposing of surplus military goods and stockpiling materials for wartime use. Today, it manages office spaces for over 1 million federal workers, oversees the preservation of hundreds of historic structures, and supervises government procurement from commercial vendors.

As of last fall, the GSA owned or leased over 363 million square feet of space across 8,397 buildings in more than 2,200 U.S. communities, including courthouses, post offices, and data processing centers, according to the agency’s website.

Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency have turned their focus toward the GSA.

An email from GSA headquarters in Washington last week directed regional managers to start terminating leases on about 7,500 federal offices nationwide.

“Lease terminations are the top priority at this moment,” stated a Jan. 29 email from a senior GSA manager, a copy of which was shared with the AP by a GSA employee.

In a follow-up meeting, GSA regional managers were told the aim is to end up to 300 leases per day, according to the employee, who requested anonymity out of fear of retaliation.

According to the employee who spoke to the AP, the effort is being spearheaded by Nicole Hollander, who has recently been stationed at the GSA headquarters.

Hollander, who lists her background in real estate in the Washington area on her LinkedIn profile, joined X (formerly Twitter) in March 2015, although posts on her X account only go back to September 2023. Her account is filled with content about X’s real estate acquisitions and information about auctions for items from the platform’s former offices after Musk bought it.

Trump has instructed the GSA to prioritize promoting “beautiful federal civic architecture,” as he has expressed a dislike for less traditional styles.

Indeed, during the transition period following his election win, Trump refused to sign an agreement with the GSA that would have given his team access to secure government offices and email accounts. This refusal stemmed in part from a condition that would have required the then-president-elect to limit contributions to $5,000 and disclose his transition