The federal workforce has undergone significant changes following the return of President Trump to the White House in January.
Federal Workforce Reductions
The Office of Personnel Management projects that approximately 317,000 federal employees will no longer be employed by the government by the end of 2025. This figure includes tens of thousands of firings, with a larger number of employees retiring or resigning. Some individuals, like former clinical social worker Liz Goggin, reported that altered working conditions contributed to their decision to leave. Goggin cited new demands, such as weekly reporting of accomplishments and a directive to report anti-Christian bias, which she stated was not an observed issue in her experience at the VA.
Impact of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Policies
President Trump signed an executive order shortly after his inauguration addressing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives across the government, describing them as "illegal and immoral." This executive order led to consequences for some DEI-focused federal employees.
Mahri Stainnak, who worked with the Office of Personnel Management's DEI office in Maine, was placed on leave and subsequently terminated. Stainnak's work involved connecting diverse individuals, including veterans, people with disabilities, and graduates from minority-serving institutions, to federal career opportunities. Stainnak, despite having transitioned to a new role prior to the executive order, was fired and has since reported difficulties in securing full-time employment, impacting family finances.
Stainnak is a plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit alleging that the Trump administration unlawfully discriminated against federal employees in DEI roles based on perceived political beliefs, advocacy for protected groups, or race and gender. The Trump administration has not yet filed a response to the lawsuit, and the White House declined to comment to NPR regarding the legal action.
Administration's Perspective and Critics' Views
President Trump has publicly described his administration's actions regarding the government as an effort to "drain the swamp" and address "waste, fraud and abuse," stating in an April rally that his administration was "stopping their gravy train, ending their power trip." White House Assistant Press Secretary Liz Huston stated that President Trump's motivation is "improving the lives of the American people and making our country greater than ever before," citing progress in government efficiency, such as plans to overhaul air traffic control and a reported decrease in veterans awaiting benefits.
Max Stier, founding president of the Partnership for Public Service, a non-profit that advises on presidential transitions and government function, stated, "They are burning the whole house down," in reference to the administration's changes. Stier expressed concern that the changes were reversing 140 years of governmental development, moving towards a system that he characterized as serving private interests rather than the public good.
Experiences of Former Employees
Keri Murphy, who began an administrative role at the Commerce Department in summer 2024, was part of a group of probationary employees dismissed during the Trump administration. Murphy reported receiving an award for outstanding performance prior to her dismissal. Lawsuits challenged these dismissals, leading to temporary reinstatements for some employees, including Murphy, before an appeals court overruled the reinstatement order. A subsequent court ruling found the mass firing of probationary employees to be illegal but did not order reinstatement. Murphy has since found new employment at approximately half the salary and without benefits she had in her federal role.
Former VA clinical social worker Liz Goggin established a private therapy practice after leaving her federal position. She maintains a high client demand and also runs a support group. Both Goggin and Murphy stated they would consider returning to federal employment under a different administration.