Maryland’s Governor Wes Moore has pointed the finger at the Trump administration for a significant loss of federal jobs within the state over the past year. Referring to a recent Bureau of Labor Statistics report, Moore stated that Maryland experienced a reduction of 24,900 federal positions. He attributed these layoffs to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiatives. Given Maryland’s close proximity to Washington, D.C., the state has a substantial number of federal employees, making it especially vulnerable to DOGE’s cutbacks. “These are direct impacts affecting every part of our state,” Moore emphasized during a Board of Public Works meeting.
Governor Faces Mounting Criticism Over Fiscal Record
Governor Moore has not been without his critics, facing scrutiny over financial management and rising juvenile crime rates under his leadership. The Baltimore Sun published an opinion piece in August labeling Moore as “America’s most disappointing governor.” The article pointed to a $3.3 billion budget deficit and $1.6 billion in tax increases that Moore approved for Maryland residents. Additionally, there was a stark 146 percent rise in juvenile crime arrests in 2024 compared to the previous year. At the same time, over $2.3 million in state-funded renovations have been allocated to the governor’s mansion since Moore took office.
Federal employment plays a crucial role in Maryland’s economy, as reported by the Maryland Comptroller’s Office. The state’s federal job sector injects more than $150 billion into the local economy each year, with federal employees collectively earning $26.9 billion annually. Six percent of the state’s populace works for the federal government, contributing to ten percent of Maryland’s total wages. DOGE, under the brief leadership of tech mogul Elon Musk from January to May, was assigned to streamline government operations by eliminating redundant positions and tackling mismanagement, with a broader target of cutting 300,000 federal jobs across the country.
Early Disbanding of a Controversial Federal Department
The department was disbanded in November, eight months ahead of its scheduled end in July 2026. Critics say it delivered few measurable savings and created chaos in the federal workforce. Moore is among those critics, and his administration has been making efforts to expand private sector employment in Maryland to reduce the state economy’s reliance on the federal government. Christopher Meyer, a research analyst at the Maryland Center on Economic Policy, told the Baltimore Sun: ‘Federal layoffs of both federal employees and federal contractors mean less money and wages and salaries going into Maryland families’ pockets.
‘That means less funding at local businesses. It means less tax revenue for the state and local governments. It means that we’re going to see a hit to Maryland’s economy that could very easily have a spillover impact into private sector job losses.’ But he added that the federal government will likely always be a major pillar of Maryland’s economy and that expanding the state’s private sector and diversifying its economy, though worthwhile, will take years.
On top of the nearly 25,000 federal jobs Maryland lost in 2025, the state’s private sector employment also dropped by 4,400 in October and November. The unemployment rate ticked up fairly significantly as well, going from 3.8 percent in September to 4.2 percent in November, though that remains below the national average of 4.6 percent. The Daily Mail has approached Moore and the White House for comment.
