Democratic Lawmakers and Displaced Federal Workers Protest Spending Cuts at "Ground Zero" of New Government Efficiency Department
Washington, D.C. – A coalition of Democratic lawmakers and disgruntled federal employees gathered outside the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on Tuesday, denouncing recent spending cuts implemented by the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The protesters, some of whom claim they were laid off as a result of DOGE’s cost-cutting measures, voiced their outrage ahead of President Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress.
Lawmakers including Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, and Representatives Don Beyer of Virginia, Kweisi Mfume, Glenn Ivey, and Johnny Olszewski Jr. of Maryland, joined the demonstration, with some revealing their decision to boycott Trump’s speech later that evening.
Olszewski, addressing the crowd, labeled the OPM building "ground zero," asserting that "This is where Elon Musk and DOGE have taken up shop. It’s where the fight is really happening. This is an agency that is supposed to have a workforce that reflects the diversity of our country and is supposed to be based on merit, and we’re not seeing that. In fact, we’re seeing the opposite."
Protesters wielded signs emblazoned with slogans like "Evict DOGE from OPM now," "Federal employees are taxpayers too," and "We all deserve better," reflecting their discontent with the administration’s cost-cutting initiatives.
Mfume characterized the initiative as "anti-American," adding, "Even if you worked for a snake, a snake would tell you we’re getting ready to take your job," before stating he needed to "calm myself" when speaking about Musk, the tech entrepreneur reportedly playing a key role in DOGE’s operations.
Beyer struck a more optimistic tone, stating, "Every event like this is a small step in the right direction."
The protests were sparked by a series of spending cuts announced by DOGE, including a reduction of nearly $1 million in funding for alpaca farming in Peru, along with other grants deemed "questionable." DOGE has also announced initial findings suggesting that reforms to the Department of Defense’s DEI spending could save $80 million.
One protester, identified as Cecilia, shared her experience of receiving an overnight email informing her she had only a few hours to vacate her office. "I worked here. I dedicated over 16 years of federal work in this place, and I was part of an entire department that was dismantled," she lamented.
The White House, however, remained steadfast in its commitment to cost-cutting. Harrison Fields, Special Assistant to the President and Principal Deputy Press Secretary, stated, "Protests will not deter President Trump and Elon Musk from delivering on the promise to establish DOGE and make our federal government more efficient and more accountable to the hardworking American taxpayers across the country."
During his joint address to Congress, Trump highlighted DOGE’s efforts, stating, "I have created the brand-new Department of Government Efficiency," before detailing areas where "wasteful spending" had been curtailed.
Trump further added, "Under the Trump administration, all of these scams—and there are far worse—but I didn’t think it was appropriate to talk about them, they’re so bad. Many more have been found out and exposed and swiftly terminated by a group of very intelligent, mostly young people headed up by Elon, and we appreciate it. We found hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud."
The emergence of DOGE and its subsequent spending cuts have ignited a fierce debate over the role and size of the federal government. Supporters argue that these cuts are necessary to rein in wasteful spending and promote fiscal responsibility, while critics contend that they disproportionately affect essential programs and services, leading to job losses and hindering the government’s ability to serve the public.
The protests outside OPM represent a growing wave of opposition to the administration’s policies, raising questions about the long-term impact of DOGE’s initiatives on the federal workforce and the overall efficiency of government operations. The contentious issue is likely to remain a focal point of political discourse as the administration continues its efforts to reshape the federal landscape. The future of DOGE and its mission to streamline government operations remains to be seen.
