The American people were enthusiastically served by these federal employees. Trump’s turmoil followed.
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The American people were enthusiastically served by these federal employees.
The American people were enthusiastically served by these federal employees Recently, Liz Goggin experienced something that brought back memories of why she used to love working for the federal government. She stopped to talk to a man who was blowing balloons and selling them for a few bucks after taking her children out for ice cream. She soon discovered that he was a veteran who was dealing with housing problems in addition to severe health problems, some of which were psychological.
In the past, she would have managed to get him into the Veterans Health Administration, where she had worked for ten years, offering counseling and putting veterans in touch with a variety of services. Then she realized that she no longer did it. After being turned down twice for the “Fork in the Road” buyout offer, Goggin resigned from her position as a clinical social worker in June.
She provided the man some advice on how to get around the VA. In her new existence away from the government, it was all she could do. “I had this real feeling of sadness,” she reports. “It definitely sat with me.”
A departure of 317,000 federal employees
Being a federal employee was a very different idea just a year ago: it meant the opportunity to serve the American people and job stability with good benefits, for the most part. Then, upon his return to the White House in January, President Trump disproved those presumptions.
There has been a huge departure from the federal workers due to buyout offers, firings, and increased uncertainty.
The Office of Personnel Management estimates that 317,000 federal workers will leave the government by the end of 2025. Tens of thousands were let go. Many of them resigned or retired because they were afraid they would lose their jobs if they continued. Some, like Goggin, claim that the working conditions became intolerable.
Goggin remarks, “Things felt really hard,” referring to fresh expectations that appeared out of nowhere: a requirement that workers deliver five bullet points outlining their weekly accomplishments to their managers. a mandate to report any anti-Christian prejudice they saw in their colleagues.
“In my whole time at the VA, I did not see any anti-Christian bias,” she claims. “To be clear, that was not even remotely an issue.”
Goggin and her colleagues were also uncertain about what was still acceptable to talk about due to Trump’s crackdown on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Could they center support groups on the racist experiences of their clients? Could they discuss their own unconscious bias among themselves?
“It was a deluge of things,” Goggin recalls. “Morale was very low.”
Thrown out and still having trouble
Leaving the government was not an option for other federal employees. Trump issued an executive order prohibiting DEI across the government, citing it as unlawful and immoral, just hours after taking office. Maine-based Mahri Stainnak was sacked shortly after being placed on leave the following day.
As part of her work with the DEI office of the Office of Personnel Management, Stainnak has introduced individuals from various backgrounds to employment in the federal workforce. “Veterans, people with disabilities, recent graduates including from minority-serving institutions,” Stainnak says with pride.
Before Trump’s return to the White House, Stainnak who uses the pronouns they/them had really taken a new position, but they were nevertheless let go. They are still having trouble finding full-time employment today.
According to Stainnak, “it’s an extremely difficult job market right now.” “Each application, each interview, the stakes feel so high.” Stainnak, who used to be their family’s primary provider, said they’ve had to make tough choices. “I lost our family dental insurance when I lost my job,” explains Stainnak. “So do we take our toddler to the dentist and pay out of pocket, or is that an expense that we choose to cut?”
Stainnak is currently involved in a class-action complaint that claims thousands of government employees who held DEI positions prior to their termination were subjected to unlawful discrimination by the Trump administration.
All of the persons Stainnak personally knows are women, people of color, or LGBTQ individuals. According to the lawsuit, the employees were singled out by Trump and other members of his administration due to their perceived or real political views, their support of members of protected groups, or their gender or race.
“It’s not okay for the Trump administration to target us because of who we are and what they think we believe,” Stainnak said. The White House failed to respond to an inquiry from NPR regarding the case, and the Trump administration has not yet submitted a response to the legal complaint. Trump claimed in his executive order from January that DEI initiatives under former President Joe Biden amounted to “immense public waste and shameful discrimination.”
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“Burning the whole house down” versus saving the nation
After promising for years to “drain the swamp,” Trump has praised the disruption he has brought to the government throughout the year.
“We are stopping their gravy train, ending their power trip, after a lifetime of unelected bureaucrats stealing your paychecks, attacking your values, and trampling your freedoms,” he declared to an enthusiastic crowd during a late April event in Michigan.
Trump maintains that he is protecting the nation from abuse, fraud, and waste. Max Stier is vehemently opposed. Stier, the founding president of the Partnership for Public Service, claims that “they are burning the whole house down.”
The foundation has worked with both Democratic and Republican administrations for more than 20 years, offering leadership development programs, guiding presidential transitions, and suggesting ways to improve government operations.
Stier now cautions that Trump is going back to the 1800s, when the government catered to the private interests of those in positions of power rather than the general welfare, by eliminating organizations and individuals he dislikes.
“It’s been 140 years since our country had something remotely close to this experience,” he continues. “President Trump’s only motivation as the President of the United States is improving the lives of the American people and making our country greater than ever before,” wrote White House Assistant Press Secretary Liz Huston in response.
She went on to say that Trump has made “significant progress” in streamlining the government in less than a year in office, citing among other accomplishments his plans to restructure the country’s air traffic control system and a dramatic drop in the number of veterans waiting for benefits.
According to Stier, he acknowledges that positive things are occurring and that they ought to be welcomed. However, size is the issue. “It would be fantastic if they could find a better technique to paint one of the rooms. However, burning down the house is so overwhelming that it’s hard to focus on it,” he explains.
A fantastic chance missed
Similar to Goggin, Keri Murphy frequently struggles with depression. Murphy had been overjoyed to get an administrative position at the Commerce Department back in the summer of 2024. “Outside of being called a mom, it was the best title I’ve ever been given – being a federal employee and civil servant,” she recalls. She now finds it difficult to recall the reasons behind her pride.
Murphy was caught up in the Trump administration’s disorganized purging of probationary workers, primarily recent hires, that began in March. Even though it was untrue, many of them were informed that their poor performance was the reason for their termination.
“I had just received an award,” she continues, “for outstanding performance.” She had previously lost her job. However, this was a novel experience.
There were lawsuits. Murphy was fired once more after an appeals court overturned a judicial decision that had temporarily reinstated him. This November, a different court rendered a final ruling declaring that it was unlawful to fire probationary staff in large numbers. However, the judge declined to order the workers’ reinstatement, citing the passage of too much time. Murphy was devastated by the choice.
“We’re still drowning in that same water,” she continues.
Murphy started a new job a few weeks ago, and she believes it’s a good fit. However, there are no benefits and the salary is around half of what she was earning while working for the government. “So that’s why I don’t know if this will work,” she replies.
Wistful but thriving
Goggin, the clinical social worker, created a profile on Psychology Today, located an office in a peaceful business district close to her house, and started offering treatment to private clients after deciding she was done with the VA. It is evident that the knowledge and abilities she contributed to the government are highly sought for outside of it as well.
Goggin is busy possibly too busy six months after quitting her job. She conducts a weekly support group at a drug rehab facility in addition to seeing individual clients. She enjoys the work and freedom that come with working for herself. However, she claims it was difficult to leave the VA.
I think of the individuals I worked with, the lessons I learnt from them, and how intense and significant it seemed throughout the years. That’s the word I would use, really,” she replies. Goggin can envision herself going back to the VA at some point, despite having a successful private practice. She continues to monitor USAJobs, the government’s job portal, to see what positions are open.
“It’s this weird habit that I have,” she explains. Despite everything she has gone through, Murphy says she would also think about returning to the government. “It’s absurd. She says, “I would really like to.” “Just not under this administration.”
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