Overview
- Speaking at the White House on the first anniversary of his second term, President Trump said his administration terminated millions of federal workers and that they are finding higher-paying jobs.
- Government Executive reported that Trump’s prepared remarks cited about 270,000 fewer employees since last January before he inflated the figure to millions.
- OPM estimates point to roughly 300,000 to 317,000 departures through late 2025, which is well below the scale he described.
- Reporting describes multi-pronged reductions that included purges, reductions in force, and a deferred resignation program, with a Department of Government Efficiency previously linked to advisor Elon Musk.
- The assertion that former employees are moving to better-paid work is presented without evidence, and unemployment has been rising in states with large federal workforces such as Maryland, the outlet reported.