← NewsAll
220,000 Fewer Workers: Trump's cuts reshaped federal agencies.
Summary
OPM data show the federal workforce fell by about 220,000 workers through November 2025, a roughly 10 percent decline; some agencies saw much larger reductions while Immigration and Customs Enforcement grew by about 30 percent.
Content
The federal workforce declined by about 220,000 workers through November 2025, according to new data from the Office of Personnel Management. That drop represents roughly a 10 percent reduction and reverses a decade of growth in government employment. Agency leaders and union officials say the staffing changes have altered how some offices carry out long-standing functions.
Key findings:
- OPM data report about 220,000 fewer federal employees through November 2025, roughly a 10 percent decline compared with a year earlier.
- Some agencies experienced much larger staffing decreases that affected established program work, while Immigration and Customs Enforcement expanded by about 30 percent.
- The year differed from a typical cycle because departures were higher and there were far fewer hires to replace them; full figures tied to deferred resignations are expected in February.
- Several workforce actions remain tied up in litigation and are not fully reflected in the published data, including disputes affecting the operations of certain agencies.
Summary:
The data indicate broad changes in staffing levels across more than 500 agencies and subagencies, with uneven effects on agency capacity. Officials have described the reductions as part of an effort to reshape the federal workforce; some legal and administrative matters are still unresolved. Full numbers related to deferred resignations are expected to be released in February, and other impacts remain under court review.
