Under Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s watch, Virginia is on track to lose 32,000 jobs in 2025, according to a report from the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service.
Over 9,000 job losses are expected to come from government employment, an area where Youngkin has sided with President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency.
Both manufacturing and administrative services are also projected to lose over 9,000 jobs, because both sectors are directly tied to federal contracting. Those job losses could rise even higher if Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which Youngkin signed a letter supporting, passes into law.
“We cannot miss this chance to save taxpayers $1.6 trillion over the next 10 years, a feat that has never been accomplished in the history of this nation,” the letter said.
Trump’s bill would cut taxes for the wealthiest in the US and cut programs Americans rely on, like Medicaid.
That bill wouldn’t just result in job losses in Virginia and across the country, it would cut billions from Medicaid and could result in the closure of at least half a dozen rural hospitals.
As a governor, Youngkin has no say whether or not Trump’s bill passes the US House of Representative and US Senate, yet he made the effort to be sure Trump knew he supported it—even as it hurts Virginians.
Youngkin also supported Trump’s executive order that forced Virginia’s federal workers—many with complex childcare situations—back into the office, creating what analysts call more harm than good for both the government and federal employees.
Youngkin supported Trump’s tariffs, calling them a “great opportunity for Virginia.”
Youngkin additionally tweeted support for Trump after the president’s unlawful strike on Iran.
And now, he’s supporting a bill that could hurt the health and livelihoods of thousands of Virginians.
Job loss can lead to unemployment, which is already projected to rise in 2025 and 2026.
“Unemployment is expected to climb to 3.9% in 2025, a full percentage point above the previous year,” the UVA report said. “The trend will likely continue into 2025, reaching 4.7%, the highest rate since 2020.”
Virginia’s unemployment spiked to 10.6% in April 2020, under President Trump’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic.
