Layoffs in February reached their highest level since 2020, while the private sector added only 77,000 jobs, the lowest monthly increase since July.

Job Cuts: According to a report released Thursday, U.S. employers cut 172,017 jobs in February, the highest monthly total since July 2020, when 262,649 cuts were announced. It also marked the largest number of February job cuts since 2009. The federal government cut more than all other sectors, with 62,242 cuts announced. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is at least partly the reason for this, as it works with the Trump administration to cut federal spending.

Job Additions: According to a report released Wednesday, the private sector added 77,000 jobs, with the leisure and hospitality industry leading the growth with 41,000 new positions. The report also announced job loss statistics, with the trade, transportation, and utilities industries on top with 33,000 jobs lost. ADP’s chief economist said, “Our data, combined with other recent indicators, suggests a hiring hesitancy among employers as they assess the economic climate ahead.”

Bureau of Labor Statistics: A report released Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed nonfarm payroll employment increased by 151,000 while the unemployment rate changed from 4.0% to 4.1%. The report also detailed a decline in federal government employment by 10,000, but does not include information on laid-off employees.

How The Media Covered It: Outlets on the left and some in the center focused more upon the job cuts. Some, like CNN Business (Lean Left bias), framed the article around the Trump administration’s “massive federal cuts” and what the article calls “swelling feelings of economic uncertainty” while highlighting job cuts being higher than any other February since 2009. Fox Business (Lean Right) covered the ADP report on private sector job growth, focusing solely on the report’s findings without adding external commentary. At the time of writing, outlets on the right did not cover the job cuts report.