The Purge of Public Servants
The human side of a national crisis – in more ways than one.
There's a certain camaraderie among federal workers. Though we work in vastly different organizations and roles, one thing unites us: our love of country and commitment to public service. These last few weeks have been unimaginably difficult for the 2.3 million people who make up the federal workforce, as they are forced to decide whether to accept the "buyout offer" from the Trump Administration or not. There's also a lot of confusion about who is even eligible and whether the administration will keep its word and honor the deal. In the latest development, a U.S. judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration's proposed buyout for federal workers until Monday, giving an initial win to labor unions that sued to stop it.
These are fellow Americans suddenly faced with a loss of livelihood—work that they were dedicated to for years or even decades—and all of the fears and sadness that go along with that. But the consequences of this 'purge' go beyond personal loss. They threaten the very institutions that protect our national security, public health, economic stability, and disaster response. The potential fallout from these actions is catastrophic.
National Security: Weakening America from Within
Intelligence agencies rely on institutional knowledge and career professionals to counter threats from foreign adversaries and domestic extremists.
Counterterrorism at Risk: The FBI's ability to investigate domestic extremists is already being gutted. Agents who led January 6 prosecutions and counterterrorism efforts are being sidelined solely for doing their jobs. Expert leaders on countering espionage and global terrorism are being reassigned or asked to resign. This weakens our ability to prevent future attacks.
Despite claims from the Trump Administration that national security employees would be exempt, CIA employees recently also received the email. A mass exodus from the CIA due to buyouts would significantly weaken U.S. national security, leaving intelligence gaps that adversaries could exploit. The loss of experience, knowledge, and global intelligence networks could increase threats at home and abroad, making the country more vulnerable to cyberattacks, terrorism, and foreign influence. Even more egregious, recently, the names of intelligence officers were sent via unclassified email to the White House as part of the efforts to downsize the agency–a reckless move that puts their lives at risk and plays right into the hands of our foreign adversaries.
This isn't just bad policy—it's dangerous. History has shown us that weakening national security institutions creates vulnerabilities our adversaries will exploit.