Unemployment claims have skyrocketed in Washington, DC since President Donald Trump returned to office.
Nearly 4,000 federal workers have been laid off amid audits by Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk.
NBC News reports:
In all, just shy of 7,000 claims have been filed in the six weeks of the new year, or about 55% more than in the prior six-week period. Filings rose to 1,780 for the week ending Feb. 8, a 36% increase from the prior week and more than four times around the same period in 2024.
By contrast, the total level of claims in the U.S. has been moving little, with the four-week moving average of initial claims at 216,000, little changed from the beginning of the year and actually trending lower for the most part over the past several months.
The jump in D.C. claims comes as Trump and the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency advisory board have ordered layoffs across the government structure and instituted buyout programs for early retirement.
The report adds, “There are about 2.4 million federal workers, excluding post office employees, with nearly one-fifth employed in the D.C. area and the others spread around the country. Outside of spikes around tax season, the number has held relatively constant since the late 1960s.”
Many additional layoffs are expected, and DOGE personnel arrived at the Pentagon on Friday, according to reports.
“We welcome DOGE to the Pentagon,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said.
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