### Major Companies Announce Significant Layoffs Amid Economic Uncertainty

Companies across various sectors are feeling the pressure to slash costs due to global economic turbulence, greatly influenced by former President Donald Trump's trade policies. Layoffs are becoming a prevalent strategy among leading corporations to mitigate financial strains and enhance operational efficiency.

Procter & Gamble, the consumer goods giant known for Pampers and Tide, recently declared intentions to cut around 7,000 jobs, approximately 15% of its non-manufacturing workforce, over the next two years. CFO Andre Schulten highlighted that this decision is a segment of a broader corporate restructuring initiative aimed at overhauling the company's portfolio, supply chain, and overall organization.

Microsoft has also embarked on a comparable path. In recent weeks, the tech titan revealed plans to reduce its workforce by about 6,000 employees, translating to roughly 3% of its global team. According to a company spokesperson, these layoffs are intended to streamline management layers rather than address performance issues.

Citigroup is similarly scaling back, with plans to eliminate about 3,500 positions predominantly within its information technology services unit in China. CEO Jane Fraser is spearheading this move as part of a large-scale reorganization effort intended to uplift the bank's profitability and stock performance. Cumulatively, Citi aims to reduce its global workforce by 10%, implementing the first stages of this plan last year.

Walmart, the largest private employer in the U.S., confirmed it would cut about 1,500 jobs to simplify its operations. These layoffs will impact global technology, operations, U.S.-based e-commerce fulfillment, and Walmart Connect, the company's advertising arm. The decision comes at a time when shoppers may also see price hike repercussions due to escalating tariffs.

Klarna, a leading fintech player, has announced the layoff of 10% of its global workforce, citing shifts in business dynamics since the prior year. CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski noted that the company has decreased its headcount by 40% partly due to significant investments in artificial intelligence.

CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity software company, is slashing 500 jobs, or about 5% of its staff. CEO George Kurtz indicated that the market and technological shifts driven by AI necessitate this reduction as part of evolving operational models.

The Walt Disney Company is also trimming several hundred employees worldwide, targeting divisions involved in film and TV marketing, publicity, and development. A Disney spokesperson mentioned that these measures are part of a larger efficiency-driven effort.

In the education sector, Chegg is laying off 248 employees, which constitutes around 22% of its workforce. CEO Nathan Schultz attributed these cuts to the growing influence of AI-powered educational tools like OpenAI's ChatGPT and projected significant cost savings as a result.

Amazon announced the elimination of roughly 100 jobs within its devices and services division, including those associated with Alexa, Echo, Ring, and Zoox robotaxis. This move aligns with CEO Andy Jassy's broader cost-cutting strategies, with the company laying off approximately 27,000 employees since early 2022.

Warner Bros. Discovery will also see a reduction of fewer than 100 employees as part of a reorganization. The company recently completed a restructuration into two divisions: global linear networks and streaming and studios.

These announcements underscore the growing trend of layoffs as companies navigate through economic uncertainties and technological advancements.