The Trump administration has proposed requiring federal workers to sign nondisclosure agreements, according to a proposal released by the Office of Personnel Management on Tuesday. The NDAs would apply to both new and existing federal employees.

Critics have characterized the proposal as an attempt to silence federal workers, particularly those who have been communicating with news media. The Office of Personnel Management defended the measure as a standard workplace policy, though specific details about the scope and enforcement mechanisms were not immediately available.

The NDA proposal comes amid broader personnel challenges facing the administration. More than 10,000 federal lawyers have departed their positions, according to government data, leaving some agencies with insufficient legal staff. Many of these departing attorneys have joined state attorneys general offices and advocacy organizations.

Separately, the administration is facing opposition from environmental groups over proposed changes to coal ash regulations. The administration seeks to shift monitoring and enforcement responsibilities from federal oversight to individual states, while allowing states to bypass certain national environmental standards.

Environmental advocates have organized significant opposition to the coal ash regulatory rollbacks, arguing that state-level oversight may prove inadequate for protecting public health and environmental safety. The proposed changes would represent a significant shift in how coal ash waste is regulated across the country.