Donald Trump Brags About Cutting Over 271,000 Federal Jobs As Unemployment Hits Its Highest Level Since 2014

Donald Trump is facing major backlash after taking a victory lap over the loss of hundreds of thousands of American jobs.

Despite frequently branding himself as a “man for the workers” and a protector of the middle class, Trump spent his post Christmas holiday celebrating the elimination of a massive chunk of the federal workforce.

In a December 26 Truth Social post, Trump shared a screenshot from the White House Rapid Response account confirming that 271,000 government roles have been abolished, bringing staffing to its lowest level in over a decade.

While the families of those displaced are left wondering how they will pay their bills in 2026, Trump appeared thrilled by the data.

He captioned the post by writing, “Big news for the USA!” The White House’s own messaging team joined in on the celebration, posting the slogan “Promises made, promises kept” to signal that these cuts were a core part of the “America First” agenda.

The timing of this celebration has many economists sounding the alarm.

According to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national unemployment rate hit 4.6% in November, with 7.8 million people currently out of work. This is a sharp increase from the previous year, when the jobless rate sat at 4.2% with 7.1 million people unemployed. While sectors like healthcare and construction have seen some growth, federal workers are being cut at a record pace.

Much of this downsizing was expected to be handled by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the high profile initiative led by Elon Musk. Trump initially claimed the group would run through July 2026 to create “less bureaucracy.”

However, In November, Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor stated that DOGE “doesn’t exist” and is no longer operating as a “centralized entity.”

As the unemployment numbers continue to creep up, the “big news” Trump is celebrating feels more like a harsh reality for the millions of Americans now left without a paycheck.