US government hired 50,000 workers under Trump, mostly at Immigration and Customs Enforcement, while cutting 300,000 other federal jobs.
WASHINGTON: The US government has hired 50,000 employees since President Donald Trump took office, his top personnel official confirmed.
The bulk of new hires work at Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said federal human resources director Scott Kupor.
These staff changes reflect the administration’s policy focus on national security positions.
The hiring occurred alongside hiring freezes and layoffs in other government departments.
The administration expects to shed approximately 300,000 workers this year, Kupor stated in August.
Trump appointed billionaire Elon Musk to lead a project downsizing the 2.4 million-strong federal civilian workforce.
Musk claimed the federal workforce had become too large and inefficient with Trump’s backing.
The administration dismissed employees enforcing civil rights laws, collecting taxes, and overseeing clean energy projects.
Approximately 154,000 employees accepted buyout offers as part of the downsizing initiative.
These buyouts affected weather forecasting, food safety, health programs and space projects, according to former federal employees and unions. – Reuters
