(DailyEmailNews.com) – Layoffs in America are skyrocketing following major job cuts across the private sector and President Donald Trump’s crusade against bloated government waste.
U.S. employers reported 172,017 layoffs in February 2025, a record high since the pandemic era of 2020.
According to outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, February’s job cuts represent a staggering 245% increase from January figures.
This marks the highest number for any February since 2009 during the financial crisis, highlighting a significant economic transition under the Trump administration’s second term.
Led by Elon Musk, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) spearheaded the largest portion of these cuts with 62,242 government positions eliminated in February alone.
This represents the most aggressive trimming of federal bureaucracy in modern American history.
It fulfills President Trump’s campaign promise to drain the swamp and reduce wasteful government spending.
The private industry is also undergoing significant restructuring. Retailers have announced 45,375 job cuts this year, a dramatic increase from just 6,751 early in 2024.
Major chains like Macy’s and Forever 21 have implemented substantial staff reductions as they adapt to changing market conditions and prepare for potential trade policy adjustments.
“With the impact of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) actions, as well as canceled Government contracts, fear of trade wars, and bankruptcies, job cuts soared in February,” said Challenger, Gray & Christmas senior vice president Andrew Challenger.
Technology firms contributed to the employment shift with 14,554 announced job cuts, though this represents a reduction from previous years.
These adjustments come as the tech sector recalibrates after years of excessive hiring and as companies prepare for the new economic landscape under President Trump’s America-first policies.
“It appears the administration wants to cut even more workers, but an order to fire the roughly 200,000 probationary employees was blocked by a federal judge,” Challenger stated.
It added, “It remains to be seen how many more workers will lose their Federal Government roles.”
The DOGE initiative’s mission to streamline government operations has met resistance from Democrat-appointed judges and entrenched bureaucrats.
A federal judge recently blocked an order to release 200,000 probationary federal employees, temporarily delaying the administration’s efforts to reduce taxpayer burden by eliminating redundant positions.
Despite the temporary disruption, the American economy’s fundamentals remain strong, with historically low unemployment.
While the mainstream media focuses on layoffs, they seem to largely ignore the encouraging signs of new employment growth.
Hiring announcements reached 34,580 jobs in February, the highest since 2022.
Entertainment and leisure firms plan to add 28,000 new workers, while American automakers intend to create 4,831 new manufacturing jobs, demonstrating confidence in the Trump administration’s economic direction.
As the economy transitions from government dependency to private sector growth, short-term job displacements are giving way to more sustainable employment patterns focused on American manufacturing and innovation rather than bloated administrative positions.
Hiring plans have increased by an impressive 159% compared to last year, suggesting that certain sectors and inefficient government departments are downsizing.
Meanwhile, others are expanding and creating opportunities for American workers in productive sectors of the economy.
This realignment represents a strategic shift toward an economy that works for hardworking Americans rather than government bureaucrats.
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