Apple Cuts Sales Staff: Is 'Streamlining' Just Cover for DOGE Budget Slashes?

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Apple’s move to streamline operations results in job losses for its government sales team.

Apple made announcements that it was reducing the number of sales staff as part of a significant restructuring process to reinforce its customer relationship. The company’s decision to reduce its sales workforce will impact only a small number of roles. Apple emphasized that it is continuing to hire and that the affected employees would have the opportunity to apply for other positions within the company.

The layoffs will mostly affect Apple's government sales team, which has been in liaison with governmental agencies in the United States, including the Defense Department and the Justice Department. These teams were already struggling, especially following the recent 43-day U.S government shutdown and were additionally hit by reductions made by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Confirming the reshuffle, Apple said in a statement,

“To connect with even more customers, we are making some changes in our sales team that affect a small number of roles. We are continuing to hire, and those employees can apply for new roles.”

However, the company did not disclose the exact number of positions impacted by the layoffs.

Streamlining Sales Operations at Apple

Internally, Apple positioned the layoffs as part of a broader effort to streamline its sales operations and eliminate overlapping responsibilities. The restructuring follows previous layoffs earlier this year in Australia and New Zealand, where around 20 roles were eliminated.

Apple’s sales group, which reports directly to CEO Tim Cook, is overseen by Vice President Mike Fenger. Fenger’s deputy, Vivek Thakkar, recently expanded his responsibilities to now manage all enterprise and education sales. Despite this, Apple has historically been less reliant on layoffs compared to other tech giants. CEO Tim Cook has frequently stated that layoffs are a “last resort” for the company, though they have occasionally been implemented as part of broader restructuring efforts.

Employees who lost their jobs will have until January 20 to secure a new position within the company. If they are unable to do so, they will receive a severance package. Apple is also advertising available sales roles on its job website, giving laid-off employees a chance to apply for these positions.