‘I am terrified’: Employees depict the somber atmosphere within federal agencies
An employee expressed their dilemma, stating, “I would love to leave, but I don't know where I'd go."
TroibNews 
President Donald Trump’s executive orders targeting the federal workforce have sparked considerable anxiety among employees nationwide, raising concerns that he may be coming for their jobs.
Just a few days into Trump’s second term, many federal workers are contemplating resignations or preparing to file grievances with their unions. Some employees are even moving discussions to secure messaging platforms like Signal to safeguard their communications. Fearing being implicated in the White House’s efforts to dismantle diversity programs, others are removing their names from memos and documents related to DEI initiatives.
As federal workers sought clarity within the orders this week regarding their potential impacts, an employee at the Environmental Protection Agency mentioned that they were clearing out their inbox while awaiting information about early retirement and buyout options.
“Trump version 1.0 was bad,” said the EPA employee. “I’m already done with version 2.0.”
Shortly after assuming power, Trump issued a series of executive orders aimed at overhauling the federal government's operations—removing job protections, ending remote work, and implementing a hiring freeze. The mood among federal employees has been one of unease, particularly following the White House’s announcement to eliminate diversity programs, which subsequently placed affected staffers on administrative leave.
At the State Department, while many anticipated the shutdown of diversity programs, some were taken aback by the directive to report any individual instances of job descriptions being altered to mask their association with DEI. This directive was interpreted by some as an encouragement to inform on colleagues. Anticipating Trump's return, others had proactively collaborated with outside nonprofits to archive websites containing vital information, including resources on combating gender-based violence globally.
“I would love to leave, but I don't know where I'd go, and I am terrified of not being able to pay rent and not having healthcare,” one State staffer remarked.
PMG interviewed nearly two dozen federal workers for this article, granting anonymity to many to shield them from possible retribution.
It remains unclear whether a mass exodus of federal workers will materialize. The vagueness of the president’s orders has left many waiting to see how they will be enacted once political appointees are in place. However, it is evident that the new administration plans to implement its agenda to purge and restructure the federal bureaucracy.
“Most of us are watching cautiously and letting the dust settle,” noted an employee at the U.S. Agency for International Development. “We know that there is a range of possible outcomes, and some people are panicking, but most are taking a wait-and-see approach.”
Adding to the anxiety among federal workers, the acting head of the Office of Personnel Management, which functions as the federal government’s human resources department, directed agencies on Monday to compile lists of all recent hires by the end of the week and to “promptly determine whether those employees should be retained at the agency.”
Career staffers who have been in their roles for less than a year are on probationary status, meaning they can be terminated without inciting civil service protections that generally cover the federal workforce.
“The only reason you would do that is that he’s going to fire them all,” stated Alan Lescht, a Washington-based employment lawyer representing federal workers. “If you have these mass firings you can’t accuse him of discriminating or anything. But then the question becomes who does [Trump] re-hire.”
Lescht reported a surge in calls from anxious federal employees beginning Monday evening after Trump signed the executive orders.
New hires who had yet to commence their positions are also facing job loss; offers made to individuals with start dates of February 8 or later were rescinded, barring limited exceptions, in line with an OPM memo associated with the Trump administration’s federal hiring freeze.
At NASA, in the lead-up to Trump’s inauguration, union membership surged as employees sought to protect their status as civil servants. The American Federation of Government Employees, representing over 800,000 workers across the government, stated they “will be tracking how agencies implement the orders and will be prepared to file grievances if our contracts are violated.”
An Environmental Protection Agency staffer indicated plans to file a grievance with the union should their remote work arrangement be revoked. In the meantime, they are also considering job opportunities outside the federal government.
Another EPA employee anticipates that significant changes may not occur until March, when the current short-term spending bill expires. “After that, it’s a toss-up,” they remarked.
Carmen Paun, Katherine Hapgood, Alfred Ng, and Marcia Brown contributed to this report.
Sophie Wagner contributed to this report for TROIB News
Just a few days into Trump’s second term, many federal workers are contemplating resignations or preparing to file grievances with their unions. Some employees are even moving discussions to secure messaging platforms like Signal to safeguard their communications. Fearing being implicated in the White House’s efforts to dismantle diversity programs, others are removing their names from memos and documents related to DEI initiatives.
As federal workers sought clarity within the orders this week regarding their potential impacts, an employee at the Environmental Protection Agency mentioned that they were clearing out their inbox while awaiting information about early retirement and buyout options.
“Trump version 1.0 was bad,” said the EPA employee. “I’m already done with version 2.0.”
Shortly after assuming power, Trump issued a series of executive orders aimed at overhauling the federal government's operations—removing job protections, ending remote work, and implementing a hiring freeze. The mood among federal employees has been one of unease, particularly following the White House’s announcement to eliminate diversity programs, which subsequently placed affected staffers on administrative leave.
At the State Department, while many anticipated the shutdown of diversity programs, some were taken aback by the directive to report any individual instances of job descriptions being altered to mask their association with DEI. This directive was interpreted by some as an encouragement to inform on colleagues. Anticipating Trump's return, others had proactively collaborated with outside nonprofits to archive websites containing vital information, including resources on combating gender-based violence globally.
“I would love to leave, but I don't know where I'd go, and I am terrified of not being able to pay rent and not having healthcare,” one State staffer remarked.
PMG interviewed nearly two dozen federal workers for this article, granting anonymity to many to shield them from possible retribution.
It remains unclear whether a mass exodus of federal workers will materialize. The vagueness of the president’s orders has left many waiting to see how they will be enacted once political appointees are in place. However, it is evident that the new administration plans to implement its agenda to purge and restructure the federal bureaucracy.
“Most of us are watching cautiously and letting the dust settle,” noted an employee at the U.S. Agency for International Development. “We know that there is a range of possible outcomes, and some people are panicking, but most are taking a wait-and-see approach.”
Adding to the anxiety among federal workers, the acting head of the Office of Personnel Management, which functions as the federal government’s human resources department, directed agencies on Monday to compile lists of all recent hires by the end of the week and to “promptly determine whether those employees should be retained at the agency.”
Career staffers who have been in their roles for less than a year are on probationary status, meaning they can be terminated without inciting civil service protections that generally cover the federal workforce.
“The only reason you would do that is that he’s going to fire them all,” stated Alan Lescht, a Washington-based employment lawyer representing federal workers. “If you have these mass firings you can’t accuse him of discriminating or anything. But then the question becomes who does [Trump] re-hire.”
Lescht reported a surge in calls from anxious federal employees beginning Monday evening after Trump signed the executive orders.
New hires who had yet to commence their positions are also facing job loss; offers made to individuals with start dates of February 8 or later were rescinded, barring limited exceptions, in line with an OPM memo associated with the Trump administration’s federal hiring freeze.
At NASA, in the lead-up to Trump’s inauguration, union membership surged as employees sought to protect their status as civil servants. The American Federation of Government Employees, representing over 800,000 workers across the government, stated they “will be tracking how agencies implement the orders and will be prepared to file grievances if our contracts are violated.”
An Environmental Protection Agency staffer indicated plans to file a grievance with the union should their remote work arrangement be revoked. In the meantime, they are also considering job opportunities outside the federal government.
Another EPA employee anticipates that significant changes may not occur until March, when the current short-term spending bill expires. “After that, it’s a toss-up,” they remarked.
Carmen Paun, Katherine Hapgood, Alfred Ng, and Marcia Brown contributed to this report.
Sophie Wagner contributed to this report for TROIB News
