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Axios
Axios

Charted: The sharp decline in federal employment

Donald Trump Scott Kupor Elon Musk
Data: Bureau of Labor Statistics; Chart: Axios Visuals

There are 271,000 fewer federal employees than there were at the start of 2025 — about a 9% drop, per the latest tally from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Why it matters: The sharp decline is a result of President Trump's efforts — initially spearheaded by Elon Musk's DOGE — to drastically reduce the size of the federal government.

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