Confirmed Cuts: At least 49,100 Employees who took buyouts: About 75,000 More planned reductions: At least 171,080 Tens of thousands of employees across the federal government have left their jobs, been put on leave or been fired as a part of the government-gutting initiative of the Trump administration and billionaire Elon Musk. Federal agencies have been directed to make plans to reduce their work forces even further.