Federal employees say many government agencies at a standstill thanks to DOGE cuts: ‘We are set up for failure’

‘Without science, the agency can’t function. And that’s what we’re seeing right now,’ one source told Politico

Some government agencies have come to a complete standstill because of cuts instituted by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), according to federal employees.

A dozen workers told Politico that Musk’s budget slashing and spending freezes have hindered basic functions of government work.

Scientists aren’t able to publish their research and some Energy Department staffers can’t access their laboratories, the staffers told the outlet.

At the Federal Emergency Management Agency, disaster planning exercises are being cancelled, the anonymous sources said. Compounding the matter, recipients of Biden-era energy grants have been left in uncertainty as they wait for authorization to continue their work.

One FEMA officer told the outlet: “We are set up for failure.”

Demonstrators protest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) layoffs in front of the CDC headquarters in Atlanta in February (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

The Interior Department and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are also being impacted by the disruption, said the workers.

The Trump administration blamed the problems on “several activist district court judges” who they claim have “sought to seize control of the management of government agencies.”

“Delays and disruption caused by litigation are unfortunate, but they will not deter the president from delivering what the voters elected him to do — building a government that is leaner, more effective, and fully aligned with constitutional principles,” the White House told the outlet in a statement.

The deferred resignation program, offered by DOGE shortly after Trump’s inauguration, resulted in thousands of federal employees abandoning their posts. According to the outlet, about 1,300 employees at the EPA took the offer, while over 1,000 did so from NOAA, a staffing cut of roughly 10 percent.

The Department of Energy also saw 3,500 people depart through the deferred resignation route. Meanwhile, about a quarter of the staff at the Interior Bureau of Reclamation has left the agency.

At the Bureau of Land Management, about 1,000 people took the resignation offer or early retirement.

These numbers are in addition to people who were laid off.

One official at the EPA said scientific research has cratered due to the funding cuts. This includes work on air pollution studies that were taking place in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The majority of staff, the official added, are operating under a de facto spending freeze as workers need to request approval for expenses over $1.

This has left scientists unable to submit their work to journals or conduct peer reviews through the EPA. Expenses for necessary items such as computer software to analyze data for scientific research have also not been approved.

“Without science, the agency can’t function. And that’s what we’re seeing right now,” one source told Politico.

Spokespeople for the agencies refuted the characterizations made by the employees. They did, however, state they’ve been imposing approval processes for expenses, claiming it would improve how taxpayer dollars are handled.

The Independent has emailed the White House, the Energy Department and the EPA for comment.