Donald Trump has faced backlash from voters after boasting about cutting more than 270,000 federal jobs during his second term, despite claiming to be a pro-worker president.
In a Truth Social message posted on December 26, Trump, aged 79, shared a screenshot from the White House’s Rapid Response account, which highlighted the reduction of 271,000 U.S. government positions, marking the lowest staffing levels since 2014.
The White House Rapid Response account stated, “Promises made, promises kept,” to which Trump replied, “Big news for the USA!”
During Trump’s election campaign and his subsequent return to the White House, he has consistently promoted job creation for American workers and reducing unemployment rates. This stance seems to contradict the mass layoffs of government employees.
Many of the job cuts resulted from the Department of Government Efficiency’s initiatives to streamline federal services, with the Trump administration making significant cuts to areas deemed non-essential.
The departments most affected by these reductions include the Department of Homeland Security, Internal Revenue Service, United States Agency for International Development, Department of Energy, and the Department of Defense.
The situation was further aggravated by the government shutdown from October 1 to November 12, 2025, the longest in U.S. history.
Initially, Trump had established the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with Elon Musk leading the charge, aiming for “a smaller government, with more efficiency and less bureaucracy.”
By refining government operations, the administration hoped to eliminate unnecessary services and lower overall spending. Trump signed an executive order to extend the agency’s duration through July 2026.
However, according to a Reuters report, the plan has changed, with Musk ousted from his role and DOGE no longer operational.
Scott Kupor, Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), reported that the department was closed after only eight months, achieving minimal measurable savings during its operation.
Despite the dissolution of DOGE, federal job cuts have persisted, affecting many employees, including those on probation and long-term staff, as part of the reduction efforts.
The extent of these cuts has notably impacted national unemployment figures, with Bureau of Labor Statistics data indicating approximately 7.8 million Americans remain jobless, and the overall unemployment rate stands at 4.6 percent.