One in 14 federal employees at impacted agencies were fired, according to CNN’s analysis. Not all agencies have felt the impact of layoffs equally, though.
By sheer total, the Department of Veterans Affairs has faced the largest reduction in force — at least 70,000 people have been fired or laid off, which accounts for nearly 15% of total staff. The VA is the second-largest federal department, following the Department of Defense, and is responsible for providing services like health care to veterans and their families.
No agency has been targeted quite like USAID. After months of cuts, the State Department announced that the agency was officially closing its doors. Countries around the world that relied on the agency for programs to fight starvation and address human and drug trafficking are already feeling the impact.
CNN also found that federal government layoffs outpaced any other US industry — including in retail and technology — in the first quarter of 2025.
CNN’s analysis suggests at least 121,000 federal employees have been laid off so far this year, however, that number could be even higher, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc., a global outplacement and executive coaching firm.
While the full scope of federal workforce cuts under the new administration is uncertain, the long-term effects of the downsizing efforts that have already taken place, on both services and the people they serve, will be felt for years to come.
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