On the campaign trail, Donald J. Trump and his allies left little doubt that, if they returned to power, federal workers would face layoffs, buyouts and agency closures.
Now that President Trump’s plan has become a reality, dozens of federal workers explain what it’s been like to live through it.
Yesterday
Is 'Gentle Parenting' Ruining French Children?
“Traditional” French parenting is built on a foundation of firm boundaries, strictness and punishment for misbehavior. Within these rules, children are also allowed freedom and autonomy, which some say results in both well-behaved children and stress-free parents. In recent years ... Show More
39 m
Aug 7
Is America’s Drinking Water the Next Front in the Iran War?
Over the past week, a growing number of municipalities across the United States have reported that their water systems were hacked. The Times has found that the attacks were most likely perpetrated by Iran. Today, Dustin Volz, a cybersecurity and intelligence correspondent for Th ... Show More
27m 40s
Jan 2025
One Thing: Federal Workers Prepare for Trump, Musk, and Uncertainty
As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take power for a second time, we hear from two government workers who have mixed feelings about potentially being on the receiving end of his campaign promises.
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26m 23s
Jun 2025
‘We want to put them in trauma’
<p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">When President Donald Trump took office in January, 2.4 million people worked for the federal government. It was America’s largest employer. </span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: ... Show More
26m 30s
Feb 2025
How DOGE Cuts Are Impacting Federal Workers
Proposals from DOGE, Elon Musk's entity tasked with making the federal government more "efficient," have resulted in lawsuits, pushback from other federal agencies, and a lot of uncertainty for the millions of people who work for the federal government. We look at what's happened ... Show More
16m 37s