New data shows hundreds of thousands of federal employees have exited government roles without replacement, marking a decades-long low in workforce size
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The size of the federal government workforce has dropped to its lowest level in decades, following a sustained wave of employee departures and reduced hiring under the administration of President Donald Trump.
According to figures highlighted in reporting by The Daily Signal and circulated widely on social media, more than 350,000 federal workers have left their positions through retirement, resignation, or termination without being replaced. A widely shared post noted that “Since Trump took office, over 352,000 Federal employees have been fired, resigned, or retired and were not replaced,” adding that the workforce “is smaller today than at any point since 1966,” as shown in a chart shared via a post.
Since Trump took office, over 352,000 Federal employees have been fired, resigned, or retired and were not replaced.
The Federal workforce is smaller today than at any point since 1966. pic.twitter.com/6YPGxCaCfQ
— Christian Heiens 🏛 (@ChristianHeiens) April 9, 2026
Separate analysis from Pew Research Center points to a similar trend, reporting that 348,219 individuals exited federal employment over the past year—an 80.8% increase compared to the prior year—while only 116,912 new hires were added, representing a 55.6% decline in hiring.
The contraction has been felt across multiple agencies, with notable reductions at the Department of Education and the U.S. Agency for International Development, according to data cited in the report.
Supporters of the reductions have publicly praised the shift. Sen. Mike Lee of Utah expressed approval in a post:
Since Trump took office, over 352,000 Federal employees have been fired, resigned, or retired and were not replaced.
The Federal workforce is smaller today than at any point since 1966. pic.twitter.com/6YPGxCaCfQ
— Christian Heiens 🏛 (@ChristianHeiens) April 9, 2026
Government employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reflects the broader pattern, showing a sustained decline in federal staffing levels since the start of the current administration.
Historically, expansions in the federal workforce were driven by policy initiatives such as the New Deal in the 1930s and the Great Society programs of the 1960s, both of which significantly increased the size and scope of federal agencies. The current reductions mark one of the most pronounced contractions outside of the post-World War II period.
Policy analysts have also pointed to structural changes within the federal system. Writing in Law & Liberty, former Office of Personnel Management official Don Devine argued that the administration’s approach extends beyond workforce reduction. He stated that the effort is not simply “cutting the size of government by firing good civil servants,” but instead reflects attempts to “fundamentally reform the federal bureaucracy with the legal support essential to change how government is actually administered.”
Some of these changes have been enabled by court rulings and administrative decisions, including the reinstatement of merit-based hiring mechanisms such as the Professional and Administrative Examination test. Agencies including the Department of Justice have begun implementing updated hiring standards, as outlined in a Justice Department release.
Additional policy efforts have targeted federal funding flows and administrative practices, including what some observers describe as longstanding networks of government-supported nonprofit organizations and programs.
Commentary describing the broader initiative has framed it as a structural shift in federal governance, with some referring to it as a “counterrevolution” in administrative policy, as discussed in analysis and related reporting on changes to agency operations and legal frameworks.
The changes are occurring alongside legal developments affecting federal authority, including the Supreme Court’s reconsideration of long-standing doctrines governing agency interpretation of law, such as those discussed in coverage of the court’s move away from Chevron deference in a Washington Post archive and subsequent policy discussions.
Further commentary from policy analysts, including remarks shared in a post, emphasized that the changes involve both workforce size and institutional structure.
The cumulative effect of these workforce reductions and administrative changes has resulted in a federal employment landscape markedly different from prior decades, with long-term implications for agency operations, hiring practices, and the overall structure of the federal government.