The last thing Schoenpool wanted was to turn his back on the military life he loved. But Poole, an Air Force veteran who currently works as a civilian trainer, seems to be unable to stop President Donald Trump from federal workers. So he says he lost all his trust in the government.
The pool was dedicated to a 77-year-old team and to a service branch that has served since the age of 18. But Trump Blitz, a government employee, has changed his mind.
He is one of the 60,000 reported federal employees who accepted an unprecedented buyout offer, and the court hearing is pending on Monday.
“What’s frustrating is that this administration portrays people like me as enemies of the American people. Poole, 41, a leading education systems specialist at Hill Air Force Base in Utah, said: “It’s harmful to see people cheering for this.”
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More than a dozen federal employees spoke about their decision to stay or go to USA Today. Few people were willing to make it into records, saying they were worried about retaliation. Some say they fear that their acquisition offer will be cancelled if they are cited in the media.
They weigh questions about mortgages, healthcare and university tuition fees. On the other hand, if they stayed, nothing could leave, and the administration follows the threat of Farrow and layoffs.
The acquisition offer is part of billionaire Elon Musk’s efforts to streamline and reduce the government through the government’s Department of Efficiency or Doge, a task force created by Trump after the 2024 election victory.
The administration warned federal employees on Tuesday that if they do not accept the acquisition, “most of the federal agencies will be reduced.”
More than 2 million federal employees across the country had been ordered to decide whether to resign or stay at work by the end of Thursday.
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A federal judge suspended Trump’s purchase offer hours before the deadline to allow unions time to challenge the legitimacy of the plan.
About 80% of federal employees work in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, according to data released by the Human Resources Administration in March 2024.
Beyond the popular image of federal officials in Washington, there are millions of workers across the country working in veteran hospitals, labs, post offices and military bases. Some are safety inspectors, park rangers, mining inspectors, small business loan managers and corrections officers. They serve from one administration to another, regardless of which party has the White House.
“I’m tired of being blackmailed.”
Tony Yang, a 51-year-old IT specialist at the US Department of Agriculture in Minnesota, decided to face his early retirement in his office, rather than facing a 125-mile commute.
After working for the federal government for eight years, Yang kept holding on until he retired, hoping to collect a full pension. Now leaving, he’s giving up about $1,000 a month.
At first, his wife did not want to move away from the security of government work.
But after a late-night conversation, they decided this was the best path forward, Yang said. Trump’s order to have all federal employees in office was far too big, especially with the offer of a buyout that involves eight months of pay and benefits.
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“It was a difficult choice. Honestly, I loved my job and didn’t want to leave yet. It’s sad to leave the team,” Yang said. “But I feel like I have to settle for this.”
Pool faced a similar dilemma. With his recent promotion in probation, Poole said he is worried that his job might be on the line. With the deadline approaching, he decided to accept the offer.
“I thought I was walking the door with something, not a clever move,” he said. “A lot of people think that road contracts are fraudulent, but I’m also trying to call on their bluffs. Even if that’s the case, they’re going to make us stiff. Even if you let it go, it’s better than leaving nothing behind.”
Poole said he considers himself lucky. He has two graduate degrees, zero debt and plenty of savings.
He has already conducted two interviews after a week of job hunting. Federal employees like him who are making the acquisition are very productive and marketable people that federal agencies can’t afford to lose, he said.
Even if his resignation was blocked, Poole said he was going to leave anyway.
“I can’t trust them anymore. For me, the bridge is on fire,” he said. “As someone who has served his country for so long, it’s hard for me to say that, but I’m beyond that and I’m tired of being threatened with stepping into work every day. It’s there.”
What shall we do?
Federal workers across the country said they fought to stay or go as their inboxes filled with increasingly awful emails and guidance from the Human Resources Administration and agency leadership were filled with inboxes.
The “final” memo was received Thursday before the judge’s order emphasized that “there will be no extension of this program.”
Employees complained that they only got a week to make such a critical decision. Some agencies, such as the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, told employees the day before the deadline Thursday they were eligible for the offer.
“This is a very personal decision and no matter which decision you make, we will support you,” the email said.
Details: “Measures are not available”: Confusion in the education sector spreads amid buyout deadline
The court order gave employees an extra weekend to weigh their choices. In federal offices nationwide, skepticism remained whether the administration had legal authority to comply with the offer.
Some federal employees said the Trump administration doesn’t trust them to respect their commitment. Some were concerned about the provisions of the acquisition offer that required the waiver of their right to pursue legal or administrative measures. Others are concerned that they are not allowed to ask questions in writing.
Health and Welfare employees who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid retaliation say that when private companies are hiring workers in multiple industries and markets kill thousands of former federal employees. He said some people are worried about finding a new job.
“We can only conclude that this will lead to massive unemployment, lower levels of opportunity and lower pay, and incredible difficulties across the US economy,” she said.
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Federal employees are under pressure, but some agencies are going to do that if the layoffs are not taken by enough people – husbands working for the federal government and her husbands – It warns that there is none. She said their work would help the American people. They also need their work to cover their mortgages, student loans and other financial obligations.
Her fears were repeated by long-time forest department employees.
One EPA employee said the office was unwilling to discuss the acquisition. Like many fears, even if the offer is not legal, employees are worried that if they stick, they will be fired and nothing.
The union representing federal workers has warned employees to take the offer. By mid-March, Congress had only funded government activities.
“I can say that was almost a taboo topic,” EPA employee said. “I think people are afraid to admit that they’re going to take it or not because they feel like they’re going to be sucked in.”
