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Elon Musk’s chainsaw has been slashing away at federal jobs since President Trump tapped him to head up the Department of Government Efficiency — reportedly cutting down more than a quarter of a million positions.
In the three months since Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, DOGE has whacked 279,445 jobs across 27 government agencies, according to a report Thursday by Challenger, Gray & Christmas, an executive coaching and global outplacement firm.
The ripple effects have also been felt in nonprofits and healthcare organizations due to reductions in federal support and contract terminations, leading to an additional 4,429 job losses, the report found.
The overall figure marks a 672% increase compared to the first quarter of 2024, when only 36,195 layoffs were reported, the study said.
The government sector alone accounted for 216,215 job cuts in March, all within federal departments.
“It would have otherwise been a fairly quiet month for layoffs,” said Andrew Challenger, Senior Vice President and workplace expert for Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
The government previously saw peak job cuts of 54,182 in September 2011, primarily driven by reductions within the US Army.
DOGE is an initiative established by Trump through an executive order aimed at modernizing federal technology and enhancing governmental efficiency.
Musk, the world’s wealthiest person, is serving as a senior advisor to the president and playing a significant role DOGE’s operations.
He was famously photographed wielding a chainsaw during an appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Feb. 21.
Per federal regulations, Musk could only remain in his post for 130 consecutive days as a special government employee. His last day is scheduled for May 30 — exactly 130 days since Trump’s inauguration.
The administration said Wednesday that Musk will continue to serve as a “friend and adviser” to Trump after his DOGE stint concludes.
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