SEC Chair Says Agency Will Restore Some Jobs After Cuts

Regulator aims to fill workforce gaps after last year's deep staff reductions.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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The chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Paul Atkins, told Congress that the agency is working to restore some of the jobs that were cut last year at the behest of the White House. Atkins rejected accusations that the SEC had dropped enforcement actions against crypto companies with ties to former President Donald Trump, saying the decisions were made before he arrived and mostly concerned failures to register securities.

Why it matters

The SEC's staffing levels and enforcement actions have significant implications for the regulation and oversight of financial markets. The agency's ability to police Wall Street and respond to crises could be impacted by significant workforce reductions.

The details

After taking office, former President Trump called for 'large-scale' workforce cuts across the federal government, including at the SEC. This resulted in a staff exodus that depleted some key agency components by nearly 20% as of a year ago. Atkins said the SEC had offered several rounds of voluntary buyouts prior to his arrival, and he is now looking to restore some of those positions to fill gaps in different divisions.

  • Last year, the SEC offered several rounds of voluntary buyouts that resulted in a staff exodus.
  • As of a year ago, some key SEC components had been depleted by nearly 20% due to the staffing cuts.

The players

Paul Atkins

Chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Donald Trump

Former President of the United States who called for 'large-scale' workforce cuts across the federal government, including at the SEC.

Elon Musk

Former adviser to President Trump who was involved in the Department of Government Efficiency initiative that led to the SEC staffing cuts.

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What they’re saying

“We have gaps in different divisions, so we will fill that.”

— Paul Atkins, Chair, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

“If the president has pardoned someone or given clemency, then it becomes very difficult.”

— Paul Atkins, Chair, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

What’s next

The SEC will work to restore some of the jobs that were cut last year in order to fill gaps in different divisions and strengthen the agency's workforce.

The takeaway

The SEC's staffing levels and enforcement capabilities have been significantly impacted by the previous administration's push for workforce cuts across the federal government. The new SEC chair is now seeking to rebuild the agency's workforce to ensure it can effectively police financial markets and respond to crises.