Recently dismissed from the American agency for international development (USAID), transports boxes with a message as they leave work and are applauded by former USAID employees and supporters when sending USAID offices to Washington, DC, United States, on February 21.
Brian Snyder | Reuters
The efforts of President Donald Trump to reduce the workforce of the federal government left a mark on the job market in February, with job cuts announced at the highest level in almost five years, the Challenger Open-Emplage, Gray & Christmas Open & Christmas was reported on Thursday.
The company said that US employers announced 172,017 layoffs for the month, up 245% compared to January and the highest monthly chief since July 2020 during the increased uncertainty of the cocovi pandemic. In addition, he marked the highest total in February since 2009 during the global financial crisis.
More than a third of the total came from the efforts of the entrepreneur of the billionaire Elon Musk, with the blessing of Trump, to reduce the federal workforce. Challenger has put the total of federal job cuts announced at 62,242, covering 17 agencies.
“With the impact of the actions of the Ministry of Effectiveness of the Government (DOGE), as well as of the canceled government contracts, the fear of commercial wars and bankruptcies, the job cuts are skyrocketed in February,” said Andrew Challenger, expert in the workplace of the cabinet.
The scheduled discounts of January brought the total in the first two months of the year to 221,812, also the highest for the period since 2009 and up 33% compared to the same period in 2024.
The report occurs in the midst of an increased concern about the state of the labor market and the economy in general as Trump’s tariff plans, reducing the size of government and mass deportations and strict immigration restrictions are taking shape.
There has been a series of mixed indicators on things where things are directed, consumption surveys showing concern about inflation and layoffs while other data show that economic force continues. The ADP payroll processing company reported on Friday that hiring the private sector had increased by 77,000 people in February.
According to the Challenger report, it is not only the government.
The retail trade saw 38,956 discounts for the month while companies such as Macy’s and Forever 21 announced discounts of net staff. The sections of the sector in 2025 are almost six times compared to their place in 2024. Technological companies have also listed 14,554 others in discounts, although the sections of the sector are in fact lower a year ago.
Uplining, companies announced that in February, in February, to hire a total of 34,580 new workers, which is to date a total of 159% compared to a year ago.
The first unemployment complaints have come up in recent weeks, especially in Washington, DC, with its large share of civil servants.
