Trump expresses sympathy for dismissed federal workers, claiming “many of them don’t work at all.”

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday that he feels “very badly” for the numerous civil servants who have recently been laid off, yet insisted that “many of them don’t work at all.”

When asked by NBC News if he feels accountable for the job losses, he responded, “Sure I do. I feel very badly … but many of them don’t work at all. Many of them never showed up to work.”

“As we make cuts, our intention is to eliminate the positions of individuals who aren’t performing or … not doing a good job,” he conveyed to reporters during an Oval Office meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin. “We’re retaining the most capable individuals.”

Trump pointed to the significant employee reductions currently happening in the Department of Education this week. “[Education Secretary] Linda McMahon is a true professional … a very skilled business leader, and she has let go of a considerable number of staff while ensuring the best talent remains. We’ll see how everything unfolds. However, our country was managed very poorly. I mean, whether it was that or contracts that were signed that were blatantly ineffective.”

The president announced that the federal government is eliminating billions of dollars in “fat, waste, fraud, and abuse.”

“We have a vision. And do you know what that vision is? We intend to shift the Department of Education, moving education management to the states, so that the states, rather than bureaucrats in Washington, can oversee education,” Trump articulated.

Opposition has intensified in recent weeks regarding the magnitude of the layoffs, led by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. Musk, the wealthiest individual in the world and a key contributor to Trump’s campaign, remarked earlier this week that DOGE is actively involved in “pretty much” every federal department and intends to expand significantly.

The job cuts have affected employees across the federal government — in both Washington, D.C. and nationwide.

In addition to a 50% reduction in the Department of Education’s workforce, all employees at the Department of Health and Human Services were offered voluntary buyouts last week. Other recent layoffs or termination of government contracts have occurred at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Last week, White House adviser Alina Habba expressed her disdain for federal employees, stating, “I really don’t feel sorry for them. They should get back to work for the American people, like President Trump and this administration.” During those remarks, Habba also suggested that military veterans affected by the DOGE-led layoffs might not be “fit to have a job at this moment.”