Thousands of federal employees in the United States government were caught off guard by an email informing them of their termination, as part of President Donald Trump’s project to cut public spending, with Elon Musk at the helm of the Government Efficiency Department. This move was not entirely unexpected, given Trump’s campaign promises to “dismantle the government bureaucracy, cut excessive regulations and unnecessary expenses, and restructure federal agencies” with Musk’s help.
Since Trump’s return to the White House on January 20 and Musk’s takeover of the newly created agency, unemployment in Washington, where federal agencies are concentrated, has surged due to the mass firings. According to the latest unemployment data from the Department of Labor, almost 4,000 people have filed for unemployment aid in the US capital. This figure has been increasing rapidly, doubling from 768 applications in the week of inauguration to 1,695 by February 15.
One worker from the Food and Medicines Administration (FDA), who wished to remain anonymous, shared their experience: “I found out by email. I heard rumors that emails were being sent about dismissals, and as I had my computer, I logged in and saw it. I called my supervisors, and they told me they didn’t know this was going to happen. We are all in shock.” The worker was placed on “administrative leave until March 14,” but was asked to return all company property and had their access to systems blocked.
Many workers have seen their contracts terminated abruptly, without time to collect their belongings, close projects, or receive explanations. Another federal worker, who also wished to remain anonymous, shared a similar experience: “We all received exactly the same letter.” This worker had been employed at an agency in the Department of Health and Human Services for nine months and was let go due to alleged “performance problems,” despite having received “good grades” from supervisors.
Most of the fired employees were still in their trial period, a standard process for new public service workers. Gabriel Hopkins, a worker at the Consumer Financial Protection Office and member of the union, noted that this period typically lasts between one and two years, during which employees are evaluated, and those whose performance is deemed insufficient can be terminated. However, in this case, many of those fired were in the middle of this period and had been performing excellently.
Hopkins, who has not been fired but feels his position is threatened, has been ordered not to work by his acting director until further notice. He pointed out the irony of the situation: “If this is supposedly about government efficiency and spending public money correctly, right now we are being paid for doing nothing.” Many unions and groups have filed demands against the Trump administration, claiming that the layoffs are illegal and urging the reinstatement of all fired workers.
The former FDA worker emphasized the importance of the work being done by federal employees: “They are dismissing officials who protect the public. Science brings benefits to people, improves health, economy, innovation… This is what makes the US great.” Meanwhile, the wave of cuts and pressure continues, with Musk asking federal employees to summarize their tasks from the previous week or risk being dismissed. The lack of response to this email will be considered a resignation, adding to the growing number of unemployed federal workers.
