Since he was inaugurated, President Donald Trump has made numerous changes to how the federal government operates, stopping at nothing to get his policies enacted. As Trump moves to fulfill his campaign promises, millions of federal workers have felt the impact firsthand, with over a hundred thousand of them losing their jobs. 

When Elon Musk took over Twitter (now renamed X), his first move was to fire roughly 80% of its workforce. Unfortunately, his next target was the federal government itself. Inspired by Musk’s cost reduction strategies, President Donald Trump enlisted Musk as the head of a new governmental agency: the Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE). The alleged goal of this department is to reduce federal spending to allow for lower taxes and reduce the national debt. 

And so, over the course of the last two months, tens of thousands of federal workers have been laid off. That’s a shocking 41 percent increase from the same period last year. These layoffs range across multiple government departments, from education to healthcare. An entire agency, USAID, was shut down, with the few remaining employees told that they will soon lose their jobs as well. 

Hundreds of thousands of other workers have been offered the option of a “deferred resignation,” which would allow them to continue receiving paychecks until the end of September if they resigned of their own volition—with around 75,000 workers choosing this option. These cuts have targeted new employees, with nearly all probationary employees being laid off. 

It’s clear that despite Trump’s promises that his administration would only cut excessive jobs—despite him saying, “I don’t want to see a big cut where a lot of good people are cut”—that has certainly not been the reality. 

Ultimately, many good people have been cut. And many of these individuals are now scrambling to find new jobs while trying to simultaneously provide for their families. 

These job cuts under Trump’s Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE) have sparked significant resistance and concern across the country. Multiple departments have been permanently affected. Meanwhile, citizens who rely on government programs like healthcare, education, and Social Security are already experiencing delays and reduced access to these services. Additionally, the remaining workers experience increased workloads.

Additionally, there have been numerous protests and legal actions taken regarding the job cuts. Right now, tens of thousands of individuals have gathered under the slogan of “Hands off” in all 50 states, protesting the recent cuts. Additionally, Musk’s company, Tesla, has seen its stocks plummeting by a staggering 50% in just four months, with its sales plunging both in the US and internationally. It’s evident that when it comes to these job cuts, much of the public has voiced its opinion: and it’s one of disapproval. But the actions of the Trump administration have not just been criticized; they’ve been labelled as downright illegal. In some instances, the courts have determined the job cuts to be unconstitutional. Nearly 250,000 workers so far have been reinstated this way. 

However, the Trump administration isn’t finished, with multiple federal agencies set to fire additional workers in the coming weeks, including the Department of Education, the Department of Veteran Affairs and the Social Security administration. Still, there’s a beacon of hope that the job cuts, however devastating, won’t last forever. Much to the celebration of many, Elon Musk has announced that he’ll be stepping away from his position and leaving DOGE at the end of May, citing concerns about the lasting impacts his position will have on his companies. Additionally, Trump has announced a possible shutdown of DOGE once Musk leaves, announcing that the agency’s work has been done.

Ultimately, the massive layoffs under Elon Musk and President Trump’s Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE) have sparked widespread outrage and legal battles. While the cuts were meant to reduce federal spending, they’ve left thousands of federal workers jobless and essential services struggling. In response to these harsh cuts, protests have erupted nationwide, and courts have stepped in to reinstate some employees. Musk’s resignation and the possible shutdown of DOGE might bring some relief, but the nation will feel the lasting impact of these cuts on workers and public services for a very long time.