The federal government has grown into an imperial colossus, and no politician in either party has seemed inclined to do much about it; Washington has always seemed to operate on the idea that if some is good, more is better, and that presumption extends into civilian employees.
That is, it did, until now. The federal workforce is actually shrinking, and the number from late 2024 to January 2026 is now up to 12 percent of the workforce, most having left voluntarily. That, folks, is what we call a good start.
President Donald Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) efforts to reduce the federal government’s workforce were seemingly reflected in recently released data from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
The OPM’s data shows that the government’s civilian workforce shrank by 12% between September 2024 and January 2026, going from a headcount of 2,313,216 to 2,035,344.
Separate data, also released by the OPM, shows that the majority of employees who left during that time did so voluntarily rather than being forced out, Reuters reported. The outlet also noted that administrative staff, customer service representatives and IT managers were at the top of the list of positions that left once Trump returned to office.
That’s a net reduction of 277,872 people no longer on the taxpayer-funded payroll. That’s a serious reduction; not just playing around the edges, although honestly, we could probably cut a lot more. But, again, a good start.
“Reshaping the federal workforce is essential to building a government that works for the American people, not the bureaucracy. By realigning roles, streamlining operations, and modernizing how agencies manage talent, we are strengthening performance and accountability across government. This effort ensures taxpayer dollars support a workforce that delivers efficient, responsive, and high-quality services,” OPM Director Scott Kupor told Fox Business.
The White House highlighted the billions of dollars saved by cutting the government workforce and underscored the president’s job creation in the private sector.
“President Trump’s pro-growth economic agenda is fueling American prosperity the right way. All of the job creation under President Trump has so far been in the private sector while federal government employment has shrunk to its lowest level since 1966 – projected to save taxpayers 29 billion dollars annually,” White House regional press secretary Liz Huston told Fox Business.
So, what more can we do?
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Federal Employment at Lowest Point Since LBJ Era As DOGE Reductions Take Hold
Well, as I have been saying and writing for years, if we returned the federal government to within its constitutionally defined limits, we would probably see a federal non-military workforce cut by, what? 40, 50, 70 percent? That won’t happen, of course; the growth of government is a ratchet, not a dial, although this once we have been treated to an exception. It may well be a once-in-a-lifetime exception as well. After all, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and its efforts are driven by an unusual president, one who comes not out of politics but out of the business world, where bottom-line issues actually count.
This good start isn’t nothing. But we haven’t heard as much out of the DOGE in the last few months, and the 2026 midterms are coming. Let’s get cracking! Another 12 percent reduction would give us yet another really great reason to head for the polls in November.
