Trump Administration Cuts More Than 50,000 Federal Jobs, Reduces Payroll By Nearly $2 Billion

The Trump administration eliminated more than 50,000 federal positions during its first year back in office while reducing the government’s annual payroll by nearly $2 billion, according to a new report from government watchdog OpenTheBooks. The report describes the reductions as one of the largest efforts in recent history to shrink the federal workforce and cut government spending.

According to the report, the federal civilian workforce declined from approximately 1.51 million employees in 2024 to about 1.45 million in 2025, a reduction of 53,712 positions. Over the same period, total federal salary costs fell by roughly $1.86 billion. The findings contrast with the final year of the Biden administration, during which the federal workforce reportedly grew by more than 13,000 employees while payroll expenses increased by more than $10 billion.

Much of the early downsizing was led by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which spearheaded efforts to reduce spending before concluding its operations earlier this month. One of the largest changes came at the U.S. Agency for International Development, where roughly 3,500 employees left their positions as the agency’s remaining functions were absorbed into the State Department. Additional workforce reductions were later carried out by the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Personnel Management.

OpenTheBooks reported that 94 federal agencies reduced their staffing levels, while 21 agencies added employees and 11 maintained the same workforce size. The Department of Veterans Affairs experienced the largest reduction, with 21,428 employees leaving government service. The Department of Health and Human Services cut 13,580 positions, while the Department of Education, which President Trump has pledged to eliminate, reduced its workforce by 1,518 employees, roughly 36% of its staff.

Not every department shrank. The Department of Homeland Security hired more than 8,000 employees as the administration expanded immigration enforcement and border security operations. The Departments of the Interior and Transportation also increased staffing by more than 3,000 and nearly 1,000 employees, respectively, reflecting the administration’s priorities in those areas.

The report also noted that at least 249,000 federal workers left government service during 2025 through a combination of voluntary departures, retirements, buyout programs, and reductions in force, with roughly 17,000 employees dismissed through formal layoffs. Supporters of the workforce reductions argue the changes have made the federal government leaner and more efficient, while critics have warned that large-scale staffing cuts could affect the delivery of government services.