In 2025, President Donald Trump resumed office with a commitment to reducing the size of the federal bureaucracy. His administration aimed to curb what he termed as ‘wasteful spending’ in Washington, D.C., promoting the idea of ‘draining the swamp.’

As a result, federal employment saw significant reductions. Data shows nearly 400,000 federal jobs were cut, impacting not only Washington D.C. but extending to various rural states.

For instance, the IRS processing facility in Austin, Texas, faced drastic workforce reductions. By September 2024, more than 20% of its employees, amounting to at least 2,000 people, had lost their jobs. This highlights the broad reach and impact of the federal cuts initiated under Trump’s directives.

The focus on cutting administrative bloat resulted in a significant downsizing of federal personnel, transforming the employment landscape across numerous states.