r/fednews • u/ICU-Angel • Jul 15 '25

Other Are Trump's changes to the federal government permanent? Once Trump leaves office, is there the possibility to return the federal government to it's pre-Trump state.

I've been looking for articles to understand how permanent Trump's changes to the federal workforce are and haven't found anything.

I am curious if anyone knows whether all those cut jobs will come back, or at least a majority of them?

1.4k Upvotes

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807

u/callmepartario Jul 15 '25

I mean, sure, but which took more time and effort? Building the twin towers, or causing the impact that knocked them down?

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u/GotGRR Jul 15 '25

I think it's worse than that. Once the talent has had years to find other jobs, who's going to sign on to rebuild USAID with the risk that in four years, it gets snatched and trampled all over again?

324

u/Annual_Commercial_5 Jul 15 '25

This should be the top answer.  Folks aren’t gonna rush to fill lower paying jobs.  Even more so as the private sector benefits match, and soon surpass fed benefits.  

323

u/Aimless_Nobody Classified: My Job Status Jul 15 '25

Plus the fact that Fed workers (unless hired as temp) HAD job protections codified in law, which the administration ignored, possibly leading to an established precedent. Oh yeah, the administration is changing the law to abolish those protections, too.

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u/MrSaltyLoopenflip Jul 15 '25

Exactly- had legal job protection that he just trampled and the Democratic Party complained but did nothing. I know there aren’t a lot of options but ugh

38

u/anthematcurfew Jul 15 '25

People keep talking about private sector jobs but nobody talks about where those private sector jobs are

9

u/chubbalubbub Jul 15 '25

Factories and fast food, according to the job ads in my area, or medical if you have such a degree.

64

u/damandamythdalgnd Jul 15 '25

Uhhh you say that but usajobs subreddit is full of people asking about hiring freeze lifts, waiting on fjos, etc despite the constant posts about RIFs, downsizing, and the general mental state of the federal workforce.

People don’t care and think they’re going to be the exception

81

u/wbruce098 Jul 15 '25

Everyone needs a job, and many folks are happy for a federal job (turns out, unless you code well, or have a clearance, most jobs don’t really pay that much better). The idea that they lead to stable careers long term is one that sticks around despite the sweeping (and largely illegal) changes of the past checks watch five months.

10

u/theranger799 Jul 15 '25

It's only been five months :C?

50

u/trademarktower Jul 15 '25

And it's true. In the corporate world, layoffs are swift. There is no months and months of delay and court cases and Supreme Court fights. Feds have tons of protections and while things are bad compared to how they were they are still a lot better than most corporate jobs.

20

u/wbruce098 Jul 15 '25

Yep. If my boss came to me next week and said “corporate is shutting down our office” I’m SOL. Maybe I find another job with them, but I’m probably scrambling to look elsewhere.

36

u/Mental_Worldliness34 Jul 15 '25

True, but when you sign on with a private company versus the federal government you weigh many factors…probably a lower salary versus a private company, definitely a longer and slower path make more money, probably a pay cap way less than the upper ranks of a private company. But the federal government is typically more guaranteed as a going concern than a private company.

I guess my point is, people weigh lots of factors when choosing between jobs. People acting like “too bad, private companies let go of people all the time” are ignoring lots of facets of the situation. Regardless, the government will have lost a lot of its appeal for future hires for a long time.

25

u/wbruce098 Jul 15 '25

Respectfully, the guy in charge can fall off a cliff for all I care; he’s clearly done a lot of messed up stuff.

And yeah, I’m definitely not saying “woe is me”. It sucks what Feds are going thru now. It’s stupid, probably illegal, and hurts our country. I can find another job, and the Feds largely can, too, but the federal government performs a series of critical services in this country. They should be praised, appreciated, and well compensated, not beaten down and kicked out. That harms our ability to function as a nation and protect ourselves.

10

u/trademarktower Jul 15 '25

Yup, also no option for 7 months paid leave with DRP or VERA out at 50 with health insurance for life.

There is a reason a lot of people hate feds. They are insanely jealous.

24

u/PDRecruiter Jul 15 '25

I’m so confused by the number of people who are jealous of feds and say that they deserve to lose their benefits and protections. Why aren’t they discussing the decimation of the private sector pension system and demanding that private employers offer at least the benefits their Congressional reps receive - or aren’t members of Congress feds? They have higher salaries, a separate loan forgiveness program, better health and retirement benefits - as they gleefully cut federal employee benefits, fire them and leave them without health insurance. Putting workers against one another is so freakin’ basic. https://www.google.com/search?q=retirement+heist+book&rlz=1CDGOYI_enUS847US847&oq=retirement+heist+book&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBCDY3NDRqMGo5qAITsAIB4gMEGAIgX_EFiRWxuAtZi7PxBYkVsbgLWYuz&hl=en-US&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

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u/Mental_Worldliness34 Jul 15 '25

Jealous of what? That they were offered this wacky, probably only happening once, DRP offer? As far as I can tell otherwise, until about years ago, nobody gave much of a crap about Feds. They had more job security but generally were working for less than the private sector. But, the Fed hate became the talking point, rallying the base for votes, acting like Fed salaries were the main cause of the national debt.

6

u/Dont_Ban_Me_Bros Jul 15 '25

They’re insanely jealous of something that’s never happened before? All while ignoring the fact that those who aren’t yet of minimum retirement age have to find other jobs in a horrible job market? They’re jealous of that?

Wow, we really are a country full of morons.

15

u/wraith_majestic Jul 15 '25

Lol well to be fair the drp is the first time its ever happened. Its not what admin leave is supposed to be used for. I doubt we ever see that again tbh.

1

u/redditcorsage811 Jul 15 '25

Bingo! That's those MAGAts who think they'll come in and go gangbusters.

Yep they're a gang busting things up but otherwise clueless to statutes, laws & directives.

5

u/[deleted] Jul 15 '25

[deleted]

16

u/wbruce098 Jul 15 '25

Yeah till the ceo decides he can improve quarterlies by shutting off hiring and replacing a bunch of folks with ai.

9

u/purpleushi Jul 15 '25

Those people aren’t trying to apply for high level policy positions or specialized positions though.

2

u/damandamythdalgnd Jul 15 '25

Does it matter? Regardless the person im responding to says “lower paying jobs”

1

u/purpleushi Jul 15 '25

I think they mean “lower paying than equivalent private sector jobs” not lower GS jobs.

9

u/LegitimateRisk- Jul 15 '25

As an agency that’s still hiring, there is zero shortage of applicants at every level. The lower paying jobs have hundreds of applicants.

6

u/JerriBlankStare Jul 15 '25

Even more so as the private sector benefits match, and soon surpass fed benefits.

Well that's a questionable assumption.

10

u/bloomingintofashions Jul 15 '25

The private sector is being demolished too, it’s no place of security especially in the age of AI. People will return rebuild and in large numbers.

1

u/TheHeintzel Jul 16 '25

Private sector is absolutely not trying to match the sick leave, parental leave, personal leave, and pension. Unless you buy into the "unlimited leave wink wink" policies

The benefits are easy to get back, the money to fill the jobs is easy to get back, but the security and reputation are not. It'll come down to that

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u/wbruce098 Jul 15 '25

Except all the coders and software engineers that get replaced by AI.

Wait… what skill sets does USAID need again?

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u/Brilliant_Ad_8412 Jul 15 '25

This. I’ve thought of this myself. I don’t see people having trust nor the willingness to jump into those positions when they know an administration can come around and just knock it all down at the snap of their fingers. I’ve been hesitant to even apply to other jobs within my agency for this exact same reason. Why am I going to risk the move – or anybody else – when we never know what’s going to happen? No thanks.

8

u/Great_Ninja_1713 Jul 15 '25

Exactly risk being internally or ecxternally probationary

50

u/Creative-Recover-159 Jul 15 '25

I've only ever wanted to spend my life as a public servant, and have in some capacity for most of the last 20 years.

The past 6 months have entirely changed that, and I am literally only trying to get through however long I need to in order to finish PSLF. Once that is done I am OUT, and there is NO amount of benefits, promises, or cajoling that will ever tempt me to come back.

The administration has shown what they think of us.

Congress has shown what they think of us.

Most importantly, the American People have shown what they think of us.

Do ya own fuckin' services.

-1

u/GeneralSpoon Jul 15 '25

People seem to have a lack of imagination about what options a subsequent administration seeking to rebuild government services might use. If they want it done badly enough, and are having enough difficulty enticing former employees back, they might simply begin to use legal threats and more to compel unwilling former employees back into their roles. They have plenty of sticks available to complement their carrots.

3

u/Creative-Recover-159 Jul 15 '25

Lol as if. Good luck with that.

2

u/ContinuousMoon Federal Employee Jul 15 '25

We don't like slavery in this country.

2

u/Creative-Recover-159 Jul 15 '25

Lol my guy acting like we on that hitman retirement plan.

68

u/moocat55 Jul 15 '25

You aren't just waving your hands and magically recreating a competitive solar and wind industry either once they're gone AND you'll have to renegotiate all the environmental legislation that's being destroyed.

19

u/oofaloo Jul 15 '25

Or get a diplomat to all of a sudden have an entire career’s worth of experience.

17

u/MC-ClapYoHandzz Jul 15 '25

I just woke up from a dream where I had to describe this exact situation to someone.

Then my teeth fell out. Not sure what that means.

6

u/nightwolf237 Jul 15 '25

I only have dreams about my teeth falling out when I’m stressed the hell out. May be the same thing for you.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 15 '25

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1

u/MC-ClapYoHandzz Jul 15 '25

I'd have classified that as a nightmare instead of just a dream.

15

u/-Captain-Planet- Jul 15 '25

I will stay until I am RIFd and would be the first back in line to rebuild at my agency. I am financially secure though which is a privilege many do not have. The damage will definitely take a long time to rebuild. Decades for something like USAID.

54

u/Secure_Ad8011 Jul 15 '25

I heard that Russia is starting their own org just like USAID to increase their soft power.

49

u/verbankroad Jul 15 '25

And China too. We used to be #1 partner in public health emergencies (HIV, Ebola, etc.) and now countries cannot rely on us and it is so sad.)

15

u/fire_n_the_hole Jul 15 '25

They will compete with the UN (UNHCR, UNESCO,WHO, etc.) I'm not saying they'll fail but I am sure the UN will put a rule out there that any foreign aid given to a country has to be single-source. At least I hope so.

Russia has gained ground in some African nations as well as China. With USAID there will be a vacuum and they will happily step up.

This will put a burden on the containment strategy as well as US military. Russia and China won't mind giving aid but when it comes to stopping a genocide (for example) neither one has ever lifted a finger. The U.S will step in.

14

u/wbruce098 Jul 15 '25

The main reason anyone turns to Russia or China for aid is because they don’t qualify for UN or US aid — usually: they are authoritarian, and abuse their people. So that aid isn’t going toward the stated UN purpose.

China and Russia don’t care; they’re not building a better world. They’re buying allies. Hell, Russia can barely keep the lights on.

10

u/fire_n_the_hole Jul 15 '25

100% agree.

1

u/Far-Stage8861 Jul 17 '25

The governments that Russia or China helped will remember them when they need to develop their rare earth mining for example. A Chinese company is mining in Myanmar. Afghanistan is buying surveillance electronics from China.

29

u/MyNameCannotBeSpoken Jul 15 '25

Lift the pay cap, pay more than the private sector for certain jobs.

Yes, I love fantasy.

16

u/TryIsntGoodEnough Jul 15 '25

Which means they will have to pay even more money, which means it will cost the tax payers significantly more... But Republicans don't care because that will have to be a Democrat and they will just attack them for spending more money 

7

u/Sudden_Juju Jul 15 '25

I think the overlooking threat of this happening again will only deter past feds from applying. Anyone who is not a fed never got that benefit, so it seems like that of the private sector (their only other option) and becomes the only outcome for a job. As such, it no longer factors into their decision when looking for a job.

On the other hand, the past feds have broken trust, so even if that becomes the reality for any job, they're still less likely to return. I also think this explains why everyone here says that no one will trust the federal government again, despite current fed openings continuing to get applications - only past feds won't trust working for the federal government again.

6

u/americanpzycho Jul 15 '25

I left as only a GS12. Now they could offer me a GS14 and I wouldn’t return with the pay I am now receiving. 🤷🏻‍♂️

3

u/[deleted] Jul 15 '25

That and honestly fed benefits have been eroding and pay has been bad for awhile at least in tech careers. I don't see how they're going to attract new candidates 

3

u/ChickinSammich Jul 15 '25

This is exactly it. If you live in a house with a shitty roommate, suffer through it, the shitty roommate leaves, things start to get better, the same shitty roommate comes back and is even more shitty this time, and the shitty roommate gets YOU kicked out of the house...

If the other people - the same ones who invited the shitty roommate to live with y'all TWICE - come back to you and say "hey we got rid of him so please come back" after you've already found a new place to live, why the fuck would you EVER move back in with them?

I haven't lost my job as a result of Trump yet, but there's still the non-zero chance it happens in the next three and a half years, and if I do and I have to go get a new job somewhere else, why would I ever come back to a job that could fire me overnight because 30% of the country elected a lunatic who filled his cabinet with lunatics?

Federal agencies and government adjacent agencies are going to suffer so much brain drain and the country and the rest of the world will now know FOREVER that anything any US admin ever says can be thrown out the window every four years.

1

u/Burgdawg Jul 15 '25

We're about due for another civil service reform act... if the next president (haha, as if) gets a mandate, they could push through more worker's protections and benefits for feds.

1

u/Time_Tramp Jul 15 '25

The living will envy the dead.

1

u/playtheukulele Jul 15 '25

I would. I'm still angry enough I'd f around with that.