Northern Virginia braces for more job losses amid Trump administration uncertainty

Private-sectorjobpostingshaveplunged.Contractsarebeingcanceled.AndacrossNorthernVirginia,laid-offfederalcontractorsareshowingupatjobcentersingrowingnumbers—atrendofficialsfearwillworsenthissummerifdeeperfederalcutstakeeffect. “I’mpreparingfortheworst,”saidDavidHunn,executivedirectorofVirginiaCareerWorksNorthernRegion,whichrunsjobcentersinAlexandria,Fairfax,LoudounandPrinceWilliamcounties.“Wecouldbelookingatthousandsofpeopleneedinghelpinthenextfewmonths.” Localeconomistsandworkforceofficialssaythismaybeonlythebeginning.Acombinationofhiringfreezes,canceledcontractsandagencyconsolidations—partofPresidentDonaldTrump’sefforttoshrinkthefederalworkforce—isalreadystrainingtheregion’sjobmarket. HunnsaidmanyseekinghelparefederalcontractorslaidoffafteragenciesliketheUnitedStatesAgencyforInternationalDevelopment,orUSAID,frozeorscaledbackgrant-fundedprograms. “Weprobablyhadseveralhundredeitherdispla