Soon after inauguration, he Trump administration announced plans to slash the size of the federal government, seemingly by any means necessary. The administration enlisted Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, to carry out unprecedented waves of widespread firings, buyouts, and reductions in force, many of which faced legal challenges. As of June 6, the labor department has reported the federal government has gotten rid of 59,000 jobs since January. These firings are deeply political. They intend to purge nonpartisan employees and replace them with loyalists.
This series puts names and faces to some of the thousands of civil servants whose lives and futures have been upended. They all share a commitment to public service and a belief that the government is supposed to help people.