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Leading a state that is home to more than 140,000 federal employees, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin spoke in Fairfax County on Monday, addressing workers who have been impacted by the sweeping federal cuts being carried out by President Donald Trump’s administration.
“I actually have extraordinary empathy for the fact that there are many workers in Virginia from our federal workforce who are experiencing real concerns,” Youngkin said.
The governor said there are currently 250,000 open jobs across Virginia, including 100,000 in Northern Virginia.
The vacancies span “every industry imaginable,” Youngkin said, citing opportunities in advanced manufacturing, health care, space, education and law enforcement.
“We have a lot of federal workers in the Commonwealth, and I want to make sure that they know we care about them, we value them, and we want them to find that next chapter,” he said. “There is literally a plethora of support systems available to help you on this journey.”
Youngkin pledged the state would provide resources to assist federal employees who have been laid off or fear they may soon lose their jobs.
Among those resources is a website, which Youngkin said would help connect workers with career advisers, guide them in finding new opportunities and assist them in applying for unemployment benefits and health insurance.
“We have a support system to help you find that next great opportunity,” Youngkin said.
His message was echoed by Cathie Vick, president of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce.
“There are a lot of people who have a choice right now as they’re going through change — federal employees, kids graduating college — those who are trying to pivot and find a different career,” Vick said. “They can choose fear, or they can choose faith, and they can have faith in Virginia.”
The civilian federal workforce — excluding military personnel and postal workers — includes roughly 2.4 million people, with about 20% based in D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
Federal job cuts stem from the Department of Government Efficiency, a Trump administration initiative led by billionaire Elon Musk.
Youngkin said DOGE’s efforts are introducing a level of transparency and accountability “that has never been seen in the federal government before.”
“The waste, fraud and abuse is stunning and shocking, and everybody sees it,” Youngkin said. “There are inefficiencies in the federal government, and the Trump administration is doing exactly what they said they were going to do and promised Americans they would do.”
Susan Swecker, chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia, criticized Youngkin, accusing him of supporting policies that are hurting the state’s economy.
“Glenn Youngkin not only has a gross misunderstanding of what it means to be jobless and without a paycheck, but he is shamelessly trying to play both sides by pretending to support federal workers while kissing the rings of Donald Trump and Elon Musk,” Swecker said in a statement.