How Many Federal Employees Have Been Fired?

As of early April 2025, the exact number of federal employees terminated varies across reports, but estimates suggest that approximately 60,000 to 75,000 workers have been laid off or fired since the beginning of President Donald Trump's second term.

A significant portion of these terminations targeted probationary employees—those with less than one year in their current positions. In February 2025, the administration ordered agencies to lay off nearly all such workers. At that time, government data indicated that over 220,000 federal employees were within their probationary period.

These mass firings have led to legal challenges. For instance, a federal judge in California ordered the reinstatement of 16,000 probationary employees, citing violations of federal law. However, on April 8, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocked this order, leaving the affected employees on paid administrative leave while further litigation proceeds.

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, has played a central role in these workforce reductions, aiming to streamline federal operations. This initiative has resulted in significant layoffs across various agencies, including the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It's important to note that the situation is evolving, with ongoing legal proceedings and potential policy changes that may affect the total number of federal employees ultimately impacted.

The discrepancy between the figures you've encountered—16,000 and 24,000—relates to different groups of federal employees affected by recent layoffs:

16,000 Employees: This number refers to probationary federal employees across six specific departments—Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs—who were ordered to be reinstated by a federal judge in California. However, on April 8, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked this reinstatement order, allowing the terminations to proceed while further litigation continues.

24,000 Employees: This broader figure encompasses all probationary federal employees terminated since President Trump's second term began, spanning multiple agencies beyond the six mentioned earlier. Legal actions challenging these terminations are ongoing, with varying outcomes in different jurisdictions.

More than 24,000 federal employees across 18 agencies who were dismissed under President Trump’s administration—part of his broader push to downsize the government—are now being rehired after a federal judge issued an order last week.

In court filings submitted Monday, the Trump administration provided a detailed list of probationary employees—those typically employed for less than one year—who were let go as part of the reduction initiative. The information was provided to comply with a temporary restraining order from U.S. District Judge James Bredar, who halted the terminations and instructed that the affected workers be reinstated.

The filings included statements from HR officials at 18 impacted federal agencies, outlining how many probationary workers were dismissed and subsequently reinstated. This comes as the administration deals with multiple legal setbacks: Bredar is the second judge to demand the reinstatement of these employees, and while the Justice Department has appealed both rulings, the U.S. Appeals Court for the 9th Circuit declined to pause one of the lower court’s orders while the case proceeds.

Agency officials noted that bringing back thousands of probationary workers could lead to confusion and operational disruptions, especially if an appeals court ultimately overturns the reinstatement orders. Most of the rehired staff are currently on paid administrative leave with full benefits as agencies work through the reinstatement process.

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So The Real Question That Everyone Has Been Asking How many federal employees have been fired?

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Here's how the numbers break down across the 18 federal agencies:

• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): 419 probationary employees were dismissed. All received notices that their terminations were rescinded, with most placed on administrative leave.
• Department of Energy: Out of 555 dismissed workers, 319 had their termination reversed by 1 p.m. on March 17. The rest were reinstated by 1:35 p.m. the same day.
• Department of Commerce: 791 probationary or trial-period employees were let go. 27 were already reinstated, and 764 received notice of their return.
• Department of Health and Human Services: 3,248 probationary workers were terminated, with all receiving reinstatement notices by email or letter.
• Department of Homeland Security: 313 were removed. One declined reinstatement, another transferred within the department, and a third returned under a deferred resignation programme. The rest were being placed on administrative leave.
• Department of Transportation: 775 employees were removed. All were informed that their terminations had been reversed.
• Department of Education: 65 probationary workers were fired. All were reinstated and placed on paid administrative leave.
• Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): 312 were terminated. Thirteen have been fully reinstated, with actions underway to rehire the remaining 299.
• Interior Department: 1,712 workers were dismissed. Around 90% have been rehired. Two were excluded due to exceptions noted in the judge’s restraining order.
• Department of Labor: 170 probationary employees were fired. All received rescission of their termination notices.
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: 117 were dismissed and later reinstated, with administrative leave granted.
• Small Business Administration: 304 workers were fired. Six were rehired on February 18. Five remain on staff, one resigned, and 298 received reinstatement notices.
• Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC): 156 probationary workers were let go and all have now been reinstated.
• U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID): 270 workers were fired. All were emailed reinstatement notices and placed on administrative leave.
• General Services Administration (GSA): 366 probationary employees were dismissed. All were rehired, although two declined to return.

Treasury Department: 7,613 were terminated. Reinstatement updates include:

• Bureau of Engraving and Printing: 48 rehiring notices sent.
• Bureau of the Fiscal Service: 169 notified.
• U.S. Mint: 8 reinstated.
• IRS: 6,387 of 7,315 received emails confirming their return.
• Office of the Comptroller of the Currency: Terminations for 73 workers hadn’t been processed, so they were placed on administrative leave.
• Department of Agriculture: 5,714 probationary employees were terminated. All were reinstated by March 12, per Merit Systems Protection Board proceedings.
• Department of Veterans Affairs: 1,683 probationary employees were fired and have now been reinstated.

In summary, the 16,000 figure pertains to a specific subset of terminated employees involved in a particular legal case, while the 24,000 figure represents the total number of probationary employees terminated across various agencies since the onset of the current administration.

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