Vought’s War on Federal Workers Leaves Government in Shambles

The federal government is reeling from a calculated assault on its workforce led by former Office of Management and Budget chief Russell Vought. New data from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) reveals the devastating impact of the Deferred Resignation Program (DRP), a Trump-era scheme that coerced over 138,000 federal employees to quit while still collecting pay. This mass exodus accounts for more than half of the 271,825 jobs lost since early 2025 and has crippled key agencies responsible for public health, financial oversight, and veterans’ services.

The DRP was no accident — it was a blunt instrument designed to slash the civil service without regard for the consequences. An ominous email sent to nearly two million federal workers in January 2025 offered them a choice: stop working and still get paid through September or face uncertainty about their job security. The administration’s goal was clear — force out career employees and replace them with political appointees loyal to Trump’s agenda.

The fallout has been catastrophic. While some agencies tried to backtrack—like the IRS scrambling to rehire customer service reps—the damage was done. The Department of Veterans Affairs, for example, lost over 28,000 employees during this period, even as the administration falsely touted workforce growth since 2015. This disconnect exposes the hollow nature of claims that veterans were “put first.”

Morale among federal workers has plummeted to unprecedented lows. The Partnership for Public Service’s 2024 survey showed many agencies scoring above 50 on their Engagement and Satisfaction Index, with NASA topping 80. But by 2026, no agency managed to hit 50. Agencies tasked with protecting consumers and enforcing financial regulations suffered the steepest declines. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s score crashed from 71 to just 8.1, the Federal Trade Commission dropped from almost 78 to 34, and the Securities and Exchange Commission fell from 84 to 31. Health and Human Services plunged from 76 to 20, reflecting the broader collapse of morale in agencies critical to public welfare.

This orchestrated “slash and burn” policy has left the federal government less capable, less trusted, and more politicized than ever before. Vought’s legacy is a traumatized civil service, hollowed out in the name of partisan loyalty and authoritarian control. Rebuilding this vital institution will require bold action to restore professionalism, rebuild capacity, and renew faith in government’s role to serve the people — not political cronies.

The time to act is now. The very foundations of democratic governance depend on a competent, independent civil service. Anything less risks permanent damage to the institutions meant to protect us all.