OpenFeds Analysis
Agency by Agency: Federal Cuts in 2026
Not all agencies were treated equally — and not all agencies deserved equal treatment. Some had genuine bloat. Others were lean operations that got cut anyway. Here's agency-level data on what was eliminated, what positions were lost, and our assessment of whether each cut made sense.
📊Cuts by Agency (Ranked by Severity)
USAID
MixedEffectively absorbed by State Dept. Most foreign aid programs restructured or eliminated.
CFPB
OverdueNear-shutdown. Minimal enforcement activity. Legal challenges ongoing.
Dept. of Education
OverdueLegislation to abolish pending. Student loan servicing transferred to Treasury.
General Services Administration
QuestionableScrambled to support ICE facility expansion after cutting facility management staff.
Small Business Administration
MixedDisaster loan backlog significant. Lending programs slowed.
EPA
MixedPermit processing reportedly faster. Environmental enforcement significantly reduced.
Dept. of Health & Human Services
MixedNIH research grants backlogged. CDC restructured. FDA inspection schedules reduced.
IRS / Treasury
ReasonableEnforcement capacity reduced ~35%. Much of the Inflation Reduction Act hiring reversed.
Dept. of Energy
ReasonableNational labs protected. Clean energy and climate programs largely frozen.
Dept. of Commerce
ReasonableCensus 2030 prep slowed. Weather forecasting capacity maintained.
Social Security Administration
QuestionableWait times up 40% at field offices. Already understaffed before cuts.
Veterans Affairs
ReasonableHealthcare delivery maintained. Administrative processing slower.
🗂️What Types of Positions Were Cut?
The composition of cuts matters more than the total number. Here's what types of roles were eliminated:
Administrative & Support
Schedulers, admin assistants, HR generalists, mail clerks. Many positions that could be automated or consolidated.
Management & Supervisory
GS-14/15 managers, division directors, branch chiefs. Flattened org charts from 4.1:1 to 3.2:1 manager ratio.
Policy & Program Staff
Program analysts, policy advisors, compliance coordinators. Often the most controversial cuts — some essential, some not.
IT & Modernization
Including many IRA-funded IRS modernization hires. Some argue these cuts will cost more long-term.
Communications & DEI
Public affairs officers, DEI coordinators, social media managers. Targeted early and aggressively.
Scientific & Technical
Researchers, scientists, engineers. Mostly at EPA, NOAA, and HHS. Brain drain concerns legitimate here.
Field Operations
Regional office staff, field inspectors, outreach workers. Cuts with the most visible public impact.
⚖️The Bottom Line
Were all of these cuts smart? No. GSA cutting facility staff and then scrambling to find ICE office space is Exhibit A of poor planning. SSA cuts hitting elderly Americans who need in-person help is a genuine problem.
Were most of these cuts defensible? The data suggests yes. When 34% of eliminations are administrative roles, 22% are excess management layers, and 23% were vacant positions nobody missed — the “devastating cuts” narrative doesn't hold up for the majority of reductions.
The federal government had 4.1 managers for every frontline worker. That's now 3.2:1 — still higher than the private sector average of 2.5:1, but moving in the right direction. A leaner government isn't inherently a worse government. Often, it's the opposite.