Federal Workforce: Loyalty and Disruption in the Era of Trump

Two dedicated federal servants, Liz Goggin, a clinical social worker, and Mahri Stainnak, recently navigated a tumultuous year. Goggin resigned from her position, while Stainnak faced termination.

A simple outing for ice cream brought back memories for Goggin, rekindling her former pride in federal service.

She conversed with a balloon vendor, a veteran facing housing and health challenges. In her previous role, she would have guided him to Veterans Health Administration support, where she facilitated care for a decade.

Recalling her resignation, Goggin could only offer the veteran advice on dealing with the VA, reflecting on her new reality outside government service.

"The encounter was bittersweet," she admitted, feeling the loss deeply.

A Drastic Shift for Federal Employees

Federal jobs, once synonymous with stability, transformed under Trump's renewed presidency, leading to job exits due to uncertainty and policy changes.

The Office of Personnel Management projects that 317,000 federal staff will depart by December 2025, driven by dismissals and resignations prompted by unvoiced apprehensions about the environment.

Goggin, among many others, found the evolving job conditions stressful. Novel directives like weekly accomplishment reports and monitoring for anti-Christian sentiments introduced unpredictability and discontent.

She highlighted a collapse in morale, overwhelmed by unclear boundaries in addressing diversity or personal biases at work.

Expelled and Facing Challenges

Other federal staff, like Mahri Stainnak, had no choice in their departure. Trump's fast-track executive order aimed to curtail DEI initiatives, marking them unlawful.

Stainnak's role at the OPM focused on diversifying the federal workplace, including minorities and veterans, which was upended under the administration's new directives.

As a primary income source, Stainnak struggles with weighty dilemmas such as forfeiting family dental care after losing their job.

Joined by others similarly affected, Stainnak is part of litigation against the administration based on discrimination claims linked to DEI roles.

The lawsuit contends that terminations unfairly targeted individuals by identity or perceived allegiance, seeking accountability over execution of bias-removing roles.

Defining Government Function

Throughout this period, Trump has publicly relished the upheavals stirred in Washington, repeatedly asserting a mission to dismantle bureaucratic excess and restore public service integrity.

Yet, Max Stier of the Partnership for Public Service argues vehemently that these actions only serve to destabilize and regress government operations.

Stier forewarns of a dangerous return to outdated systems where personal politics overshadowed broader societal service, a historic shift last experienced well over a century ago.

Despite assertions from Trump’s team claiming significant administrative streamlining, the broader repercussions, Stier mentions, remain largely negative.

A Legacy in Limbo

Keri Murphy, echoing Goggin’s sentiments, has memories of a lost chance. Elevated to a position at the Commerce Department in 2024, she took pride in her federal role.

Unexpectedly, she was caught in a sweeping administrative review, resulting in her discharge despite accolades for her prior performance.

A drawn-out legal battle confirmed the impropriety of her firing, though ensuing decisions left Murphy disenchanted with minimal redress.

Currently in a less lucrative role without official benefits, Murphy weighs her prospects critically.

Finding New Paths and Considering Old Ones

Despite parting with the government role, Goggin channels her expertise into a private practice, thriving yet missing the intense work with veterans.

She continues exploring government job listings, proving a persistent connection to public service despite enjoyment in her new autonomy.

Murphy, similarly, contemplates a return, signifying that for many, public service passion endures beyond present adversities.