President Donald Trump’s efforts to overhaul the federal government are being felt far beyond Washington, D.C.
In New York state, home to more than 53,000 civilian federal employees as of last year, federal workers have been left confused, frustrated, and in some cases out of a job, as Trump and his billionaire advisor Elon Musk upend federal agencies in their quest to cut spending and uncover alleged fraud.
Spectrum News spoke with a handful of those New York-based federal workers, on the condition they would not be identified publicly.
One New Yorker with more than a dozen years of experience at the U.S. Department of Education told Spectrum News how much they valued the stability of their job.
However, on a recent Friday evening, an email arrived, advising them they were being put on paid leave, “pursuant to the President’s executive order on DEIA and further guidance from [the Office of Personnel Management].”
The employee, who told Spectrum News their job has nothing to do with diversity, equity and inclusion, said their best guess is they were targeted because of a course they took on diversity.
“I consider this to be an illegal retribution,” they said.
Another New Yorker, a contractor with the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID, told Spectrum News they were given a stop work order, with little clarity on whether they will be paid for work they have already done.
“I just don't have words for the shock and the anger and … the sheer stupidity of the whole thing,” they said.
Noting the humanitarian work overseas central to USAID’s mission, they said, “People will die. Wildlife will die.”
For those still working, the anxiety is potent.
“Since Jan. 23, my blood pressure has been consistently high,” said one Federal Student Aid worker, who was offered a Musk-promoted buyout, but said they have no plans to take it, citing the need to pay for their child’s schooling.
“I don't want to cut her education because he's cutting education,” they said.
On Capitol Hill, Democrats have been sounding the alarm about the instability Trump and Musk are sparking in D.C. and beyond.
Rep. George Latimer told Spectrum News it is an insult to people who have committed their lives to public service.
“You do not walk into something that you don't know what it does and start to deconstruct it, because you have a general ideology,” Latimer said. “You're going to wind up hurting people.”
On Monday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced a new online whistleblower portal, where federal employees can report potential wrongdoing and alleged abuses of power.
He says he hopes to bring some of those whistleblowers to Washington, holding special hearings to spotlight the actions of the Trump White House.