Integrity Wall - Federal
The people and organizations on these pages include civil servants, organizations and other individuals/entities who stood up for the laws that protect our citizens, our data, our society and justice. Some people resigned rather than compromise their integrity or violate federal statute. Some retired or were fired instead. Others have been targeted by the regime and/or are standing firm against tyranny. In every instance, each chose the path that illustrates the best of our nation despite the difficulties or risks to themselves, rather than the easy route. In some cases, it was to stand and fight (or be fired); in others, it meant resigning or retiring. Their examples sustain us and remind us to do the next right thing.
Inspectors General
On January 24, 2025, the occupant of the Oval Office fired an estimated eighteen non-partisan Inspectors General in emails citing "changing priorities." The twelve below have been confirmed as part of that number. Eight of them have sued. Their complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief can be found here.
Sandra D.
Bruce
Department of Education
Rae Oliver Davis
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Phyllis
Fong
Department of Agriculture
Mark Greenblatt
Department of the Interior
Christi A. Grimm
Department of Health and Human Services
Paul K.
Martin
U.S. Agency for International Development
Michael J. Missal
Department of Veterans Affairs
Sean
O'Donnell
Environmental Protection Agency
Cardell K. Richardson, Sr.
State Department
Robert
Storch
Department of Defense
Larry D.
Turner
Department of Labor
Hannibal "Mike" Ware
Small Business Administration &
Chair, Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency - CIGIE
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Christopher A. Wray
Director,
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Mr. Wray retired just before Trump was inaugurated as Trump had criticized him and named Kash Patel as his pick for FBI Director.
"That’s what the rule of law is all about. We’ve got to maintain our independence and objectivity, staying above partisanship and politics because that’s what the American people expect and I think that’s what they deserve."
Brian C.
Turner
Associate Deputy Director,
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Mr. Turner retired on January 20, 2025. He was the the first African American to ever serve in the role.
David Sundberg
Assistant Director in Charge,
Federal Bureau of Investigation
On January 30, 2025, Mr. Sundberg was told to resign or be fired on the next day. He resigned.
Jeffrey
Veltri
Special Agent in Charge,
Miami Field Office,
Federal Bureau of Investigation
On January 30, Mr. Veltri was told to resign, retire or be fired. He chose to resign.
"I was informed by FBIHQ today that the executive leadership at the Department of Justice plans to dismiss me from the rolls of the FBI, along with several other FBI executives, as soon as Monday Morning."
FBI Agents Association
& John and Jane Does
On February 4, 2025, FBIAA and various John and Jane Does filed two separate lawsuits against the Department of Justice's demands to have every agent fill out a questionnaire regarding their roles in the Capitol attacks investigation, while the the other to do so alleges the order violates the Civil Service Reform Act 5 U.S.C. §§2301 and 2303.
James E. Dennehy
Assistant Director in Charge, New York Field Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation
On February 28, 2025, Mr. Dennehy was instructed to retire. Mr. Dennehy pushed back against the Department of Justice when they demanded the names of every agent investigated the January 6th Capitol attack.
"Today, we find ourselves in the middle of a battle of our own, as good people are being walked out of the FBI and others are being targeted because they did their jobs in accordance with the law and FBI policy."
Robert C.
Kissane
Deputy Director,
Federal Bureau of Investigation
On February 28, 2025, Mr. Dennehy was instructed to retire. Mr. Dennehy pushed back against the Department of Justice when they demanded the names of every agent investigated the January 6th Capitol attack.
"Today, we find ourselves in the middle of a battle of our own, as good people are being walked out of the FBI and others are being targeted because they did their jobs in accordance with the law and FBI policy."
Brian
Driscoll
Acting Director,
Federal Bureau of Investigation
In early April, 2025, and 47 years at the firm, Mr. Baio resigned from Willkie Farr & Gallagher when they chose to reach a deal with the Administration rather than fight an Executive Order in court.
Mr. Baio plans to “join the fight against governmental tyranny, unconstitutional decrees and social injustice, particularly at this critical time.”
Michael
Feinberg
Section Chief,
Federal Bureau of Investigation
On June 5, 2025, the New York Times reported that Mr. Feinberg resigned amid the retaliation by Kash Patel and Dan Bongiono.
"I was informed that, because I maintain a friendship with a former F.B.I. executive who is a critic and perceived enemy of the current administration, I would not be receiving any of the promotions for which I was currently being considered, and that I should actually steel myself to be demoted."
Spencer L.
Evans
Special Agent in Charge,
Las Vegas Division,
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Stanley
Meador
Special Agent in Charge,
Richmond Field Office,
Federal Bureau of Investigation
On June 5, 2025, the New York Times reported that Mr. Meador was placed on administrative leave and is expected to retire.
Angel M.
Catalan
Senior Executive Legal Attaché, Mexico City, Mexico, Federal Bureau of Investigation
At the beginning of June, 2025, Mr. Catalan retired. It is unclear whether he was forced out by the Administration or not.
"To those who continue to carry the torch, don’t ever stop fighting for justice!"
Brian C.
Dugan
Assistant Director, Training Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation
At the beginning of June, 2025, Mr. Dugan retired. It is unclear whether he was forced out by the Administration or not.
"Though it is bittersweet to leave, I know I still had gas in my tank for the FBI. However, I will bring that same energy and excitement to learn on my next adventure. To all current FBI members, including my latest training class; best of luck, stay together, and keep doing the traditional FBI work we’ve always done."
Judge Advocate Generals (JAGs)
Lt. Gen. Charles L. Plummer
Judge Advocate General,
United States Air Force and Space Force
On February 21, 2025, Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired Lt. Gen. Plummer without warning, creating concerns about the direction Hegseth planned to take the military with his "warrior ethos".
In a New York Times Opinion essay, Frank Kendall, former secretary of the Air Force in the Biden administration said:
“One has to ask why JAG leadership was singled out for replacement. This is part of a much larger pattern of disrespect, even disdain, for the rule of law. We do not need JAG leaders who fit this pattern."
Lt. Gen. Joseph B. Berger III
Judge Advocate General, United States Army
On February 21, 2025, Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired Lt. Gen. Berger without warning, creating concerns about the direction Hegseth planned to take the military with his "warrior ethos".
Rosa Brooks, a Georgetown law professor said of the firings:
“In some ways that’s even more chilling than firing the four stars. It’s what you do when you’re planning to break the law: you get rid of any lawyers who might try to slow you down.”
Rear Adm. Lia M. Reynolds
Deputy Judge Advocate General, United States Navy
On February 21, 2025, Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired Rear Adm. Reynolds without warning, creating concerns about the direction Hegseth planned to take the military with his "warrior ethos".
A former Navy JAG, Professor Mark Nevitt, said:
"Make no mistake: these firings are extraordinary and destabilize a longstanding norm of separating uniformed military members from politics. It is not an overstatement to characterize these firings as unprecedented and dangerous."
Military
Gen. Laura J. Richardson
Commander, United States Southern Command
Adm. Linda Fagan
Commandant, United States Coast Guard
On January 21, 2025, Trump terminated Admiral Fagan. She was the first female Commandant of the Coast Guard.
Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr.
Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
Trump abruptly dismissed General CQ Brown on February 21, 2025. He retired in April, 2025.
Pete Hegseth, incoming Department of Defense Secretary, suggested General Brown's many achievements may be due to diversity, equity and inclusion rather than General Brown's intelligence and character.
Adm. Lisa Franchetti
Chief of Naval Operations
Admiral Franchetti learned of her dismissal via phone call on February 21, 2025. One of the Admiral's accomplish-ments was to be the first woman to lead the Navy.
Gen. Timothy Haugh
Director,
National Security Agency &
Commander,
U.S. Cyber Command
Wendy
Noble
Deputy Director,
National Security Agency
On April 3, 2025, Ms. Noble, the senior civilian leader in the NSA, was offered retirement or reassignment to the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security after far-right extremist Laura Loomer visited the White House. It appears Ms. Noble may have accepted the reassignment.
Col. Susannah
Meyers
Commander, 821st Space Base Group,
Pituffik Space Base
Greenland
After J.D. Vance visited the base and made public comments criticizing Denmark and Greenland, Col. Meyers sent an email to those on base, which stated in part:
"I do not presume to understand current politics, but what I do know is the concerns of the U.S. administration discussed by Vice President Vance on Friday are not reflective of Pituffik Space Base."
She was subsequently relieved of her command.
Lt Gen. Jennifer Short
Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense
Pentagon
Adm. Shoshana Chatfield
U.S. Military Representative to NATO
On April 7, 2025, Vice Admiral Chatfield was fired from her position. She was the first woman appointed to the role. CBS News reported she was singled out in part because of a presentation she gave on Women's Equality Day in 2015 that included a slide that said "investing in gender equality and women's empowerment can unlock human potential on a transformational scale."
Col. Sheyla Baez Ramirez
Base Garrison Commander, Fort McCoy, Wisconsin
On April 22, 2025, Col. Ramirez, the base's first female commander, was suspended. On April 14, 2025, it appears the pictures of Trump and Hegseth on the base's chain of command wall had been turned inward. The Department of Defense posted it on social media with a subsequent follow-up picture showing the frames had been turned in the correct direction. There seems to be no evidence that Col. Ramirez had anything to do with the prank.
CDR Emily
"Hawking"
Shilling
Aerospace Engineering Duty Officer, Program Manager, NAVAIR,
Washington, DC
On February 6, 2025, Commander Shilling and other transgender individuals filed a lawsuit against the unconstitutionality of Trump's Executive Order that stated in part: “adoption of a gender identity inconsistent with an individual’s sex conflicts with a soldier’s commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in one’s personal life.”
Upon the government's appeal to the Supreme Court, on May 6th, SCOTUS stayed the previous injunction and allowed the Executive Order to go into effect, potentially harming active duty service members, until they ruled on the appeal.
"We are not a policy debate. We are real people, doing real jobs, in defense of a nation we still believe in, even when it struggles to believe in us."
Christian
Stephens
Airman,
Air Force
On June 13, 2025, Airman Stephens posted a video on TikTok with a statement disagreeing with the immigration policies of the Administration, especially as it pertained to children. It appears the military chose to put him under a mental evaluation hold.
His TikTok profile said at the time of recording:
"I have accepted the potential punishment to come of me, I still stand tall!"
Two hours later, the video had been removed and his profile changed.
"I'm put against my will to visit a mental health institute. #rememberthechildren"
Congress
While the majority of Democratic members of Congress have been pushing back with investigations, letters demanding information, town halls, social media outreach and more, there are some who have made some more visible first steps that show out-of-the-box thinking/actions or in several cases of Republicans, speak up when they normally wouldn't. We thought we share some with you.
Representative
Robert Garcia
Democrat
42nd Congressional District
California
In February, 2025, Interim US Attorney for the District of Columbia, Ed Martin, threatened an investigation of Representative Garcia for remarks criticizing Elon Musk made on the House floor. On April 24, 2025, he traveled to El Salvador with Representatives Yassamin Ansari, Maxwell Frost and Maxine Dexter to help put pressure on the Administration to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the United States.
“It’s important for folks to be able to know that Democrats need to be in a fight. This is a fight that we’re in for our very democracy. And the fact that the Trump DOJ now wants to silence members of Congress, because we’re actually willing to take on Elon Musk is quite dangerous.”
Senator
Bernie Sanders
Independent
Vermont
Since February, 2025, Senator Sanders began traveling around the country on a Fighting Oligarchy tour. Since March 20, 2025, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez began joining him at most of the events, which have drawn huge crowds. Other guests on his tour have included Representatives Steven Horsford, Greg Casar, Jimmy Gomez, Pramila Jayapal, Ro Khanna and Chris Deluzio
“It doesn’t take Bernie Sanders to point out that you now have a government of the billionaires, by the billionaires, and for the billionaires—I think that’s clear and apparent to everyone.”
Representative
Jasmine Crockett
Democrat
30th Congressional District
Texas
On February 26, 2025, as she was walking at the Capitol, a reporter asked Representative Crockett what she would say to Elon Musk. Video of her immediately responding, "F**k off" received millions of views.
In March, 2025, Trump began making public statements about her being a "low-IQ" person. During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, she said she would be willing to take an IQ test against Trump.
"It says a lot when you’re supposed to be the leader of the free world, and you’re worried about a sophomore in the House. I’m just saying."
"I don't think that policy is what we need to be fighting about, because, guess what, nobody can tell you what Donald Trump's policies were at all. I think that people are voting for who they feel like is being honest with them, even if they don't like what they're saying."
Representative
Al Green
Democrat
9rd Congressional District
Texas
On March 4, 2025, during Trump's joint address to Congress, Representative Green was escorted from the Chamber when he shouted at Trump "He has no mandate." He was subsequently censured by the House.
“I was making it clear to the president that he has no mandate to cut Medicaid. I have people who are very fearful. These are poor people, and they have only Medicaid in their lives when it comes to their health care. And I want him to know that his budget calls for deep cuts in Medicaid.
“This president is unfit. He should not hold the office. Thirty-four felony convictions, two times impeached."
Representative
Melanie
Stansbury
Democrat
1st Congressional District
New Mexico
On March 4, 2025, as Trump walked by her to address Congress, Representative Stansbury held up a sign that read, "This is not normal." Republican Representative Lance Gooden grabbed the sign from her hands. She later walked out on Trump's speech.
“Fifty years ago, Members of Congress held a walkout of the 1975 State of the Union in protest of the corruption of the Nixon Administration and the Watergate Scandal,. Tonight we walked out in protest of the unprecedented attack on our democratic institutions and in solidarity with the millions of Americans who will be impacted by this Administration and the policies of the GOP-led Congress.”
Representative
Yassamin Ansari
Democrat
3rd Congressional District
Arizona
On March 4, 2025, Representative Ansari walked out on Trump's speech to Congress. On April 21, 2025, she traveled to El Salvador, along with Representatives Maxwell Frost, Robert Garcia and Maxine Dexter, to advocate for Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the man erroneously rendered to CECOT by the Trump administration without due process.
I’m absolutely devastated by the bulls– I just heard, everything from incessant dehumanizing of immigrants, to trans people to the LGBTQ+ community to outright lies about who is going to benefit from the tax cuts to come, and the fact that Republicans are cutting Medicaid for so many of my constituents."
Senator
Chris Murphy
Democrat
Connecticut
On March 6, 2025, Senator Murphy spoke on the Senate floor and presented a graphic that illustrated 40 instances of open public corruption on the part of Trump and his administration in the first six weeks of taking office. He updated the graphic with more instances and spoke again on April 30, 2025 about the first 100 days of Trump's administration. In March, he and Representative Maxwell Frost began holding town halls in Republican districts around the country.
“This is how democracies die. Democracies die when the very powerful people steal from us so regularly, so openly, so unapologetically, that we come to believe that it's normal...And so I lay it all out for you this afternoon in the hopes that it is not too late for us to decide to stand up, as a body and as a nation, to say that this isn’t okay."
Representative
Jaime Raskin
Democrat
8th Congressional District
Maryland
In early March, 2025, Representative Raskin posted a template for citizens to submit Privacy Act Requests to DOGE. The page has since been revamped showing his own request (still in template format, just not fillable) and suggesting constituents outside his district contact their representatives if they require further assistance.
"Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have been accessing government computer data systems that hold the personal data of every American. They have been hiding behind evasions and misrepresentations to avoid coming clean to the American people about the data they are collecting and what they are doing with it."
Representative Raskin, along with Senator Adam Schiff, also led a Democratic shadow hearing on April 7, 2025, Restoring Accountability: Exposing Trump’s Attacks on the Rule of Law.
Representative
Maxwell Frost
Democrat
10th Congressional District
Florida
In March, 2025, Representative Maxwell Frost began holding town halls around the country with Senator Murphy in primarily Republican districts. In April, he traveled to El Salvador with Representatives Yassamin Ansari, Robert Garcia and Maxine Dexter to help put pressure on the Administration to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the United States.
“We will not rest while due process is discarded, and our constitutional rights are ignored. We will be loud in demanding that the Trump Administration abide by the Supreme Court’s decision and uphold the rule of law. Because if this can happen to Mr. Abrego Garcia, it can happen to anyone.”
RepresentativeAlexandria
Ocasio-Cortez
Democrat
14th Congressional District
New York
Representative Ocasio-Cortez began joining Senator Sanders on his Fighting Oligarchy tour on March 20, 2025. At a rally in Los Angeles, speaking of immigration attempting to gain access to schools, she offered praise to school staff and teachers:
"...who spoke up when they felt something was off. And it was the teachers and principals as they stood strong and said 'No' to protect their kids when it could have been easier to say yes out of fear. You defended them L.A., because it will never be just institutions and officials alone that uphold our democracy. It will always be the people, the masses who refuse to comply with authoritarian regimes."
RepresentativeGregory Meeks
Democrat
5th Congressional District
New York
On March 25, 2025, Democratic Ranking Member Meeks of the House Foreign Affairs Committee led a shadow hearing, Thrown into Chaos: The Dismantling of USAID and its Real-Life Consequences, in a small conference room with the following Democratic committee members - Representatives Gabe Amo, Ami Bera, Joaquin Castro, Jim Costa, Madeleine Dean, Sara Jacobs, Pramila Jayapal, Julie Johnson, William Keating, Ted Lieu, Johnny Olzewski and Brad Sherman.
Senator Cory Booker
Democrat
New Jersey
On the evening of March 31, 2025, Senator Booker took the floor of the Senate and held it for a record 25 hours and 5 minutes, highlighting the stories of ordinary Americans who are being hurt by the Trump administration's disregard of rule of law, reckless and draconian cuts to Congressionally-approved funding and programs and undermining our institutions of governance.
"This is a moral moment."
"Let's make good trouble."
"This is not right or left; this is right or wrong."
"Fear is a necessary precondition to courage."
"If America hasn't broken your heart, then you don't love her enough."
"Where does the Constitution live? On paper or in our hearts?
Senator Lisa Murkowski
Republican
Alaska
On April 14, 2025, Senator Murkowski, at an Alaskan conference of non-profit and tribal leaders, said:
“We’re in a time and place where — I don’t know, I certainly have not — I have not been here before. And I’ll tell you, I’m oftentimes very anxious myself about using my voice because retaliation is real. And that’s not right. But that’s what you’ve asked me to do and so I’m going to use my voice to the best of my ability.”
Senator Chris
Van Hollen
Democrat
Maryland
On April 16, 2025, Senator Van Hollen flew to El Salvador to attempt to meet with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the man erroneously rendered to CECOT by the Trump administration. During his visit, he confirmed with the Vice President of El Salvador that Mr. Garcia's presence in El Salvador was strictly due to the United States paying for him to be imprisoned there. He was able to meet with Mr. Garcia on April 17th and speak with him.
The following week, House Representatives Yassamin Ansari, Robert Garcia, Maxwell Frost, and Maxine Dexter also flew to El Salvador to pressure Trump to abide by the Supreme Court order to facilitate Mr. Garcia's return, Senator Van Hollen was the first.
"Your [Trump} comments and the actions of your Administration clearly demonstrate your failure to comply with court orders as you continue to violate Mr. Abrego Garcia’s constitutional and due process rights — and when you deny the due process rights of one person, you threaten them for everyone in America."
Senator Adam
Schiff
Republican
California
On April 17, 2025, Senator Schiff, along with Representative Raskin, led a Bicameral shadow hearing, Restoring Accountability: Exposing Trump’s Attacks on the Rule of Law.
"We are here today because the rule of law and democracy in the United States is under attack--not by a foreign adversary or a distant threat, the rule of law is being attacked and subverted from within from an administration intoxicated by its own power and enabled by a supine Congress."
Representative
Maxine Dexter
Democrat
3rd Congressional District
Oregon
On April 21, 2025, Representative Dexter traveled to El Salvador with Representatives Yassamin Ansari, Robert Garcia and Maxwell Frost to help put pressure on the Administration to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the United States.
"My response is that it is a distraction from what this administration is doing, which is tearing apart the Constitution and refusing to comply with a United States Supreme Court ruling. It is without question that our Supreme Court has told him to take action to bring Mr. Abrego Garcia home. His innocence or his background, though I have every reason to believe that it’s been misconstrued and misinformed in the public’s eye, it is not about that. This is about the rule of law, about the Constitution that my job is to uphold and to see for."
Senator Rand
Paul
Republican
Kentucky
On April 10, 2025, Senator Rand Paul, along with Democrat senators, co-sponsored S.J. Res. 49 to terminate the national emergency declared by Trump to impose global tariffs. The vote tied in the Senate on April 30th, with Republican Senators Paul, Collins and Murkowski voting to end the tariffs. As Vice President, J.D. Vance cast the deciding vote to continue with Trump's ill-conceived tariff plan. On May 8, 2025, Senator Paul also voted down a procedural motion which blocked a cryptocurrency bill.
In a social media post, Senator Paul said:
"We torched Biden for abusing emergency powers during COVID. Now some Republicans want to do the same thing? If tyranny is wrong in blue, it's still wrong in red."
Representative
Hakeem Jeffries
Democrat
8th Congressional District
New York
On April 27, 2025, Democratic Leader Jeffries and Senator Booker conducted an impromptu sit-in on the Capitol steps speaking with and to the American public about our shared values, the moral moment we're facing and the dangers of the budget the Republicans are attempting to pass that will devastate services and health care for average Americans while increasing tax cuts for billionaires and large corporations. Hundreds of people joined them throughout the over 12-hour event.
To Republicans, he said:
“Enough. This is not America. We will continue to show up, speak up and stand up until we end this national nightmare.”
Senator
Thom Tillis
Republican
North Carolina
On May 6, 2025, Senator Tillis informed the White House that he would oppose Ed Martin's nomination as Attorney General for the District of Columbia.
A proponent of "Stop the Steal," Martin failed to disclose hundreds of media appearances and he "deflected and distanced himself from his past inflammatory rhetoric and comments on Democrats, the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot and the federal justice system." He is also responsible for firing many of the DOJ prosecutors who worked on the Capitol riot cases in his current role as Interim Attorney General which expires on May 20th.
Senator Tillis said:
"I have no tolerance for anybody that entered the building on Jan. 6, and that’s probably where most of the friction was."
Representative
Jeff Hurd
Republican
3rd Congressional District,
Colorado
On May 7, 2025, Representative Hurd voted against a provision to sell federal lands. The month prior, he joined other moderate Republicans on a letter to Republican leadership urging them to preserve and strengthen Medicaid.
"We cannot and will not support a final reconciliation bill that includes any reduction in Medicaid coverage for vulnerable populations."
Senator
Josh Hawley
Republican
Missouri
After the spike in trading suspiciously timed around tariff announcements, on April 28, 2025, Senator Hawley introduced the Pelosi Act which would ban Congressional trading on individual stocks while in office. On May 8, 2025, he voted down a procedural motion which blocked a cryptocurrency bill which may have opened more avenues for corruption for the Trump administration.
"This is something that we ought to set aside for the good of the American people. It is a distraction at best. It is a source of potential corruption at worst."
Representative
Rob Menendez
Democrat
8th Congressional District
New Jersey
On May 9, 2025, at a press conference after the arrest of Mayor Baraka, Representative Menendez said:
"It was an act of intimidation, not just for the mayor, not just to us, but to everyone watching...
"They feel no weight of the law. They feel no restraint on what they should be doing and that was shown in broad daylight today when they not just arrested the Mayor of Newark but when they put their hands on two members of Congress who were standing behind me.
How is this acceptable? To anyone in this country. How is this acceptable?"
Representative
Bonnie Watson Coleman
Democrat
12th Congressional District
New Jersey
On May 9, 2025, at a press conference after the arrest of Mayor Baraka, Representative Coleman said:
"ICE is out of control. ICE thinks it can intimidate all of us. And it cannot intimidate any of us. And, we the people, will make sure this Administration adheres to the rules that separate us from dictatorships and other third world countries."
Representative
LaMonica
McIver
Democrat
10th Congressional District
New Jersey
On May 9, 2025, after the arrest of Mayor Baraka, Representative McIver who was present at the time trying to get a tour of the facility, she said on MSNBC:
"If you think they can treat three members of Congress like this, and a mayor, a mayor of the largest city in New Jersey, they will treat anybody any kind of way. They are, each and every day, they are treating people with no respect, no dignity, and they are reckless and unhinged."
Representative
Pat Ryan
Democrat
18th Congressional District
New York
Rep. Pat Ryan sent Trump a letter after the West Point commencement ceremony which was subsequently printed in the media.
"You’re politicizing our military and our service academies, including with the hat you wore today. Your insistence on making our troops loyal to you — rather than our country and Constitution — puts us all in danger. You must stop.
For the sake of every cadet on this stage, all of my fellow veterans and our nation as a whole, I implore you to heed the words of the Cadet Prayer: “Make us to choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong, and never to be content with a half truth when the whole can be won.”
Senator
Alex Padilla
Democrat
California
On June 12, 2025, during a press conference in Los Angeles by Kristi Noem, Senator Padilla attempted to ask a question. Despite identifying himself, immediately he was surrounded, forcibly removed, put on the ground and handcuffed by federal agents.
Later, he said:
"I will say this. If this is how this Administration responds to a Senator with a question, if this is how the Department of Homeland Security responds to a Senator with a question, you can only imagine what they're doing to farmers, to cooks, to day laborers out in the Los Angeles community and throughout California and throughout the country. We will hold this Administration accountable."
Other Agencies/Boards
Danny
Werfel
Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service
Mr. Werfel resigned his position on January 20, 2025 before Trump was inaugurated.
Rachel
Levine, MD
Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps
Dr. Levine resigned her positions on January 20, 2025. As the highest-ranking openly transgender person in federal government, Republicans used her image in anti-trans ads during the elections. In an article on May 13, 2025, she is quoted as saying:
“We are stronger together. Our LGBTQIA+ community is stronger together — and that includes our allies. They are trying to pit us against each other. We cannot let that happen...The wheel will turn. I don’t know when, but it will. Justice will win out. But we have to work for it.”
Names not released
"Dozens" aides/detailees, National Security Council
On January 22, 2025, dozens of national security officials were placed on administrative leave by Mike Waltz's chief of staff, Brian McCormack via telephone.
“I wish they would have done it sooner and not waited till after the inauguration. Just for the good of national security and the good of the country, you want your NSC up and running from Day 1...I just wish they would have done it a different way.”
Names not released
Unknown number
Diversity & Inclusion Council, Dept. of Education
Trump order the firing of all federal employees working on DEIA programs. On January 23, 2025, the Department of Education issued a press release stating the Diversity & Inclusion Council had been dissolved.
Names not released
Unknown number
Employee Engagement Diversity Equity Inclusion Accessibility Council, Dept. of Education
Trump order the firing of all federal employees working on DEIA programs. On January 23, 2025, the Department of Education issued a press release stating the Employee Engagement Diversity Equity Inclusion Accessibility Council (EEDIAC) within the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) had been dissolved.
Names not released
Unknown number
responsible for DEI initiatives
Department of Education
Trump order the firing of all federal employees working on DEIA programs. On January 23, 2025, the Department of Education issued a press release stating career Department staff tasked with implementing the previous administration’s DEI initiatives had been placed on paid administrative leave.
Names not released
More than 50
U.S. Agency for International Aid
employees
On January 27, 2025, USAID Administrator Jason Gray sent an email placing more than fifty career officials on administrative leave.
Former USAID official Jeremy Konyndyk said:
"This is a destroying the village in order to save it approach to governing."
Jocelyn Samuels
Commissioner, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Illegally fired by Trump on January 27, 2025 which left the EEOC without a quorum to operate, Ms. Samuels filed a lawsuit on April 9, 2025.
"Anyone who knows me knows I don't back down."
Charlotte A. Burrows
Chair and Commissioner, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Ms. Burrows was also illegally fired by Trump on January 27, 2025.
"While I strongly disagree with the President’s actions, and will explore all legal options available to me, I will continue to do all I can to fight for the rights of American workers and to support the efforts of others who do the same.”
Gwynne
Wilcox
Chair and Member, National Labor Relations Board
Ellen Weintraub
Chair & Commissioner, Federal Election Commission
On January 31, 2025, Ms. Weintraub was unlawfully fired.
"There has never been a firing. There is nothing in the statute, in the Federal Election Campaign act that authorizes a firing...It raises concerns about political actors interfering with the operations of the agency that is supposed to be regulating political actors."
Name not
released
Call Center Representative, Retirement Information Office, Office of Personnel Management
On January 20, 2025, DOGE infiltrated the Office of Personnel Management during Trump's inauguration and began locking out OPM employees. On January 23, 2025, this individual submitted his resignation effective immediately for reasons pertaining to the new guidance from the Acting Director about compiling lists of probationary employees, discontinuance of telework and DEIA policies.
Name not
released
Human Resource Solutions, Office of Personnel Management
On January 20, 2025, DOGE infiltrated the Office of Personnel Management during Trump's inauguration and began locking out OPM employees. This woman resigned on January 24, 2025.
Name not
released
Senior Advisor, Suitability Executive Agent Programs, Office of Personnel Management
On January 20, 2025, DOGE infiltrated the Office of Personnel Management during Trump's inauguration and began locking out OPM employees. This individual resigned on January 29, 2025.
Chad W.
Golden
IT Specialist, Application Software, Office of Personnel Management
On January 20, 2025, DOGE infiltrated the Office of Personnel Management during Trump's inauguration and began locking out OPM employees. Mr. Golden submitted his one-day notice resignation effective February 4, 2025.
Name not released
Information Systems Audit Group, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Personnel Management
On January 20, 2025, DOGE infiltrated the Office of Personnel Management during Trump's inauguration and began locking out OPM employees. On January 27, 2025, this individual submitted his/her two-week resignation but a desire to leave at the "earliest possible date."
Name not released
Information Systems Audit Group, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Personnel Management
On January 20, 2025, DOGE infiltrated the Office of Personnel Management during Trump's inauguration and began locking out OPM employees. On January 27, 2025, this individual submitted his/her two-week resignation.
Names not released
More than 50 foreign service officers and career civil servants, U.S. Agency for International Development
On January 27, 2025, dozens of employees were placed on administrative leave for suspicions of wrongdoing. Attorneys were specifically targeted.
Five of the individuals who were eventually fired:
Joseph L. Laster III: Deputy Director, Employee and Labor Relations
Kirsten Gunsolus, SPHR, SHRM-SCP: Senior Employee and Labor Relations Specialist
Christopher Mixon: Employee and Labor Relations Specialist
Luisa Jaramillo, MA-IOP: Employee and Labor Relations Specialist (Presidential Management Fellow)
Ashley Moore: Intake Specialist
Nick Gottlieb
Director, Employee and Labor Relations, U.S. Agency for International Development
On January 30, 2025, Mr. Gottlieb rescinded the administrative leave of the employees from three days prior as there was no evidence of misconduct and there was no legal reason for them to be on administrative leave involuntarily. He was placed on adminstrative leave hours later for failing to issue "immediate termination notices to a group of employees without due process."
“It is and has always been my office’s commitment to the workforce that we ensure all employees receive their due process in any of our actions. I will not be party to a violation of that commitment.”
Karen
Ortiz
Administrative Judge, New York Office, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
In late January, 2025, Judge Ortiz responded with an office-wide email to an email from her supervisor directing everyone to pause any LGBTQ+ cases and send them to DC for review by calling on her 185 colleagues to resist complying with the illegal mandates. The next day, she emailed the Acting Chair of the EEOC and cc'd all 1,000 employees of the commission with the subject line: A Spoon is Better than a Fork. On May 7th, she was placed on administrative leave pending her termination.
“I know I take a great personal risk in sending out this message. But, at the end of the day, my actions align with what the EEOC was charged with doing under the law. I will not compromise my ethics and my duty to uphold the law. I will not cower to bullying and intimidation.”
Hampton Dellinger
Special Counsel, U.S. Office of Special Counsel
On February 7, 2025, the occupant of the Oval Office fired Mr. Dellinger without cause. Mr. Dellinger sued and received an injunction to remain at his post. An appeals court overturned the injunction in March and Mr. Dellinger was terminated. He chose not to appeal the decision.
"While I've given up on continuing to serve as special counsel, I retain my unyielding belief in the rule of law in America and the promise of our indispensable nation. I trust that as long as we cherish these vital precepts, they will exist."
Cathy
Harris
Chair and Member, Merit Systems Protection Board
On February 10, 2025, Trump unlawfully fired Ms. Harris. She filed a lawsuit.
Deborah F.
Rutter
President,
John F. Kennedy Center
On February 10, 2025, Trump fired Ms. Rutter, as well as 17 other board members, and stated he would now be Chairman of the Board. Ms. Rutter had previously stated she planned to retire from her role at the end the year.
In response to Trump's claims of "anti-American propaganda," Ms Rutter said:
"I am a professional arts attendee. I am a believer in the work of the artist. I am not a propagandist. I am not a politician. Art speaks for itself. Art sometimes doesn't make you feel comfortable, but it is telling the story of who we are and all artists, as all Americans, have the freedom of expression."
Renée
Fleming
Artistic Director,
John F. Kennedy Center
On February 10, 2025, Trump fired 18 board members and stated he would now be Chairman of the Board.
Ms. Fleming resigned in protest.
"Out of respect, I think it right to depart as well...I’ve treasured the bipartisan support for this institution as a beacon of America at our best,. I hope the Kennedy Center continues to flourish and serve the passionate and diverse audience in our nation’s capital and across the country.”
Shonda Rhimes
Treasurer,
John F. Kennedy Center
On February 10, 2025, Trump fired 18 board members and stated he would now be Chairman of the Board.
Ms. Rhimes resigned in protest. When publicly announcing her departure on Instagram, she included a quote from John F. Kennedy.
"If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him."
Ben
Folds
Artistic Advisor, National
Symphony Orchestra,
John F. Kennedy Center
On February 10, 2025, Trump fired 18 board members of the Kennedy Center and stated he would now be Chairman of the Board.
Mr. Folds resigned in protest. He publicly announced his departure on Instagram.
“Given developments at the Kennedy Center, effective today I am resigning as artistic advisor to the NSO. Not for me.”
Hanna
Hickman
Senior Litigation Counsel, Division of Enforcement, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
On February 11, 2025, Trump unlawfully fired Ms. Hickman from her position. She had been with the bureau for almost two years and close to finishing her probationary period.
"Donald Trump and Elon Musk can just call their lawyers. But regular people don't just have a lawyer they can call, and these agencies are intended to fill that gap and to keep people safe. … For me, this was, you know, a calling."
Susan Tsui
Grundmann
Chairman, Federal Labor Relations Authority
On February 11, 2025, Trump illegally fired Ms. Grundmann. She sued, received a summary judgment stating her termination was unlawful and returned her to work to finish out the remainder of her term. The government chose not to appeal.
"The President's removal of Plaintiff for no cause, much less any reasons relating to inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance, without notice and a hearing, and during an unexpired term, was in flagrant violation of the plain language of the statute."
Mary
Comans
Chief Financial Officer, Federal Emergency Management Agency
On February 11, 2025, Trump illegally fired Ms. Comans for providing a payment to reimburse states that housed undocumented immigrants while awaiting court dates. Said payment was approved by DOGE. After she made the payment, she was vilified online by the Administration. She sued to regain her position and for defamation of her character.
"I was fired illegally by the Trump administration for doing my job, for doing exactly what I was directed to do by the Trump political appointees at the Department of Homeland Security and at the DOGE. They told me to do these actions, to make these payments, and then they fired me."
Names not released
2 Program Analysts and
1 Grant Specialist,
Federal Emergency Management Agency
On February 11, 2025, Trump fired three people in addition to Ms. Comans for the same situation of processing the payment as approved by DOGE.
Name not released
Office of the Inspector General, Office of Personnel Management
Emails suggest this employee tendered his/her resignation before February 11, 2025.
Lawrence A. Tabak, D.D.S., Ph.D.
Principal Deputy Director, National Institutes of Health
On February 12, 2025, Dr. Tabak abruptly retired without warning.
Chelsea
Milburn
Office of Communications and Outreach, Writing Division, Department of Education
On February 12, 2025, Ms. Milburn, in her position as a probationary employee, was unlawfully fired. Ms. Milburn is a disabled Navy veteran.
"A few months ago, I was so excited as a disabled veteran to have the opportunity to continue serving my country through civil service.
Yesterday, I was fired in an email."
Michael S. Lauer, M.D.
Deputy Director for Extramural Research, National Institutes of Health
On February 13, 2025, Dr. Lauer announced his retirement the next day.
Name not released
Technology Transformation Services, General Services Administration
On or about February 11, 2025, this employee resigned when he/she was instructed to allow Thomas Shedd, an ally of Elon Musk, root/admin access to all components of the Notify.gov system without Mr. Shedd having the proper clearances to view or access personally identifiable information of the public.
"I don't believe that I can operate a program and system without the ability to manage access to PII. As a result, I have submitted my resignation to GSA. Today will be my last day."
Amy Paris
Deputy Digital Services Lead, Department of Health and Human Services
On February 14, 2025, Ms. Paris was fired from her position. After Dr. Levine, she was one of the highest-ranking transgender individuals in the federal government.
“They’re trying to actually not make the government more efficient, but disrupt the government and disrupt citizen services that the American people need in order to conduct their daily lives. They are trying to sow discord and disrupt confidence in the workings of the federal government.”
U.S. Digital Service
21 Employees
On February 16, 2025, 21 employees of the United States Digital Service were fired as DOGE took over their department and renamed it DOGE.
They have since started We the Builders, a website supporting federal workers and bringing information to the American public.
Michelle King
Acting Commissioner,
Social Security Administration
On February 16, 2025, Ms. King resigned after refusing to allow DOGE access to sensitive personal data.
Jim Jones
Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods,
Food and Drug
Administration
On February 17, 2025, Mr. Jones resigned after 89 people in his division were fired.
“I’m not sure if it’s a lack of understanding of how things get done, or it’s that there’s really no seriousness about what they want to get done. I don’t know. But I didn’t want to spend the next six months of my career on activities that are fundamentally about dismantling an organization, as opposed to working on the stated agenda."
Name not released
Senior Advisor, Health Care and Insurance, Office of Personnel Management
On January 20, 2025, DOGE infiltrated the Office of Personnel Management during Trump's inauguration and began locking out OPM employees. On February 10, 2025, this employee tendered a resignation effective February 22, 2025.
Name not released
Attorney Advisor, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Personnel Management
On January 20, 2025, DOGE infiltrated the Office of Personnel Management during Trump's inauguration and began locking out OPM employees. On February 7, 2025, this employee tendered a two-week notice resignation effective February 22, 2025.
Name not released
CSS, Retirement Operations, Office of Personnel Management
On January 20, 2025, DOGE infiltrated the Office of Personnel Management during Trump's inauguration and began locking out OPM employees. This employee tendered a one-week notice resignation effective February 28, 2025.
Name not released
Administrative Student Trainee, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Personnel Management
On February 21, 2025, this employee tendered a two-week notice resignation effective March 7, 2025.
Doug
O'Donnell
Acting Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service
Mr. O'Donnell retired from federal service on February 28, 2025. Mr. O'Donnell resisted signing termination letters, drafted by the Office of Personnel Management, for terminating probationary employees.
In an email to employees:
"To all of you, I am grateful for your patience, support, and courage in the face of adversity."
18F
Approximately 85 employees
On March 1, 2025, the entire department of 18F, whose job consisted of upgrading technology and increasing government efficiency, at the General Services Administration were fired.
They have since started a website supporting federal workers and bringing information to the American public.
Ron Bronson, the former head of design at 18F said, "To a person, they are each stellar, craft-focused, detail oriented people who truly put users (and the public) first."
Traci
DiMartini
Chief Human Capital Officer, Internal Revenue Service
On March 3, 2025, Ms. DiMartini was placed on administrative leaving pending termination for resisting signing termination letters, drafted by the Office of Personnel Management, for terminating probationary employees.
From her court affidavit:
"Acting Commissioner Krause gave three reasons for placing me on administrative leave pending termination: (1) that I did not effectively implement the termination of probationary employees; (2) that I did not implement the deferred resignation program correctly; and (3) that I was insubordinate and uncooperative with the DOGE employees."
Felicia C.
Logan
Training Instructor, Office of Personnel Management
On March 7, 2025, Ms. Logan submitted her immediate voluntary separation.
Shelly C.
Lowe
Chair, National Endowment for the Humanities
On March 12, 2025, Trump directed that Dr. Lowe leave her position. Dr. Lowe has the distinction of being the first Native American to lead the agency.
Voice of America
U.S. Agency for Global Media
On March 14, 2025, the occupant of the Oval Office signed an Executive Order gutting the Agency putting some of its employees on J-1 visas at risk if they returned to their home country.
Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Inc. sued to restore congressionally-approved funding and along with Radio Free Asia received a preliminary injunction to continue operations with government funding.
Rebecca K. Slaughter
Commissioner, Federal Trade Commission
On March 18, 2025, Trump abruptly fired Ms. Slaughter, leaving a partisan commission in place. She, along with Mr. Bedoya, sued.
"To make sure that commissioners and the work of the commission is done without fear or favor, and more specifically, that we can take on the biggest companies in America without fear of getting fired for failure to do a favor to the President's friends or donors or corporate allies."
Alvaro M. Bedoya
Commissioner, Federal Trade Commission
Nicholas
Enrich
Acting Assistant Administrator for Global Health, Bureau for Global Health, U.S. Agency for International Development
On March 25, 2025 Mr. Enrich testified before a Democratic shadow hearing, Thrown into Chaos: The Dismantling of USAID and its Real-Life Consequences, of the House Foreign Affairs Committee in a small conference room. His testimony can be found here.
"Additionally, this new
system, in my opinion, removed vital checks and balances to avoid waste, fraud, and abuse by removing the individuals from the approval process with actual knowledge needed to verify what the funds had been used for... Mistakes that occurred included massive over-payments that were approved, payments that were sent to the wrong partners, or for the total TEC/Ceiling of the award, rather than just allowable disbursements – including unallowable costs."
Cole
Landfried
Support Relief Group,
Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, U.S. Agency for International Development
On March 25, 2025 Mr. Landfried testified before a Democratic shadow hearing, Thrown into Chaos: The Dismantling of USAID and its Real-Life Consequences, of the House Foreign Affairs Committee in a small conference room. Speaking of his team's time in Gaza organizing and procuring aid as part of the U.S. response:
"Then on February 2, 2025, we found ourselves scrambling to simply to figure out who could still log onto our computers, as most of us, including myself, were suddenly unable to access our USAID email accounts, which constituted our main communication with the Agency."
Amy
Uccello
Senior Youth and Reproductive Health Lead, Bureau for Global Health Office of Population and Reproductive Health, U.S. Agency for International Development
On March 25, 2025 Ms. Uccello testified before a Democratic shadow hearing, Thrown into Chaos: The Dismantling of USAID and its Real-Life Consequences, of the House Foreign Affairs Committee in a small conference room. Her testimony can be found here:
"After a near 9-year career with USAID, I was tossed
out in a matter of minutes. Since I had no warning that I would be fired, I lost years of my work-my intellectual contributions to the agency and the USG, including technical briefs authored, presentations crafted, reports to Congress, policy documents and photos from years of in-country work around the world. Since USAID’s websites and our implementing partners' websites have been deleted, I may never regain access to all of the work that I did- that I developed to support USAID and the USG. It felt as though my entire 25-year career had disappeared overnight. This was psychological warfare and I believe that it was purposeful."
Peter Marks,
MD, PhD
Director, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Dr. Marks was offered the chance to resign or be fired. He submitted a letter on March 28, 2025 for his resignation effective April, 5, 2025.
"Over the past 13 years I have done my best to ensure that we efficiently and effectively applied the best available science to benefit public health. As you are aware, I was willing to work to address the Secretary’s concerns regarding vaccine safety and transparency by hearing from the public and implementing a variety of different public meetings and engagements with the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. However, it has become clear that truth and transparency are not desired by the Secretary, but rather he wishes subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies.
"
Jeanne Marrazzo, MD, MPH, FACP, FIDSA
Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
On March 31, 2025, Dr. Marazzo was placed on administrative leave and offered a position with Indian Health Services.
Timothy L.
Arel
Chief Operating Officer,
Air Traffic Organization,
Federal Aviation Administration
In early April, 2025, Mr. Arel announced he would be retiring early.
Alyce Hood-Fleming
Vice President, Mission Support, Air Traffic Organization,
Federal Aviation Administration
It had been reported that Ms. Hood-Fleming would be leaving her position in the second round of buyouts. It appears she retired before April 9, 2025.
Melanie
Krause
Acting Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service
COTG debated whether or not to include Ms. Krause on our Integrity Wall as her actions are not clear-cut. She fired Traci DiMartini over the probationary employees' terminations, yet a month later on April 7, 2025, she chose to resign on April 16th due to Secretary Bessent signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Secretary Noem to allow the IRS to share taxpayer information for immigrants. It remains unclear whether her resignation stemmed from the violations of law involved or the fact that she was not expected to participate in the discussions of said MOU and she felt she wasn't afforded respect. We leave it up to you to decide.
Greg
Pearre
Associate Commissioner,
Office of Systems Architecture, Social Security Administration
On April 8, 2025, Mr. Pearre pushed back against the Trump Administration's plans to move migrants' names into the Social Security Death Master File, citing its illegality and cruelty. Two days later, he was escorted from his job by security and placed on administrative leave. It is unclear whether he is still on leave or has been fired.
Chris
Krebs
Former Director, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
Trump fired Mr. Krebs by social media on November 17, 2020 after Mr. Krebs tweeted "59 election security experts all agree...in every case of which we are aware, these claims (of fraud) either have been unsubstantiated or are technically incoherent."
On April 9, 2025, Trump signed an Executive Order targeting Mr. Krebs. Mr. Krebs subsequently quit his position at SentinelOne. From his resignation letter:
“For those who know me, you know I don’t shy away from tough fights. But I also know this is one I need to take on fully — outside of SentinelOne. This will require my complete focus and energy. It’s a fight for democracy, for freedom of speech, and for the rule of law. I’m prepared to give it everything I’ve got.”
Miles
Taylor
Former Chief of Staff, Department of Homeland Security
On April 9, 2025, Trump targeted Mr. Taylor in an Executive Order. Mr. Taylor had authored an op-ed in the New York Times and a book in November, 2019, both under the pseudonym "Anonymous."
In August, 2020, he revealed his name and spoke out in an ad for Republican Voters Against Trump.
“Dissent isn’t unlawful. It certainly isn’t treasonous. America is headed down a dark path."
Emily
Schaal
Statistician,
Energy Information Administration
On April 11, 2025, Ms. Schaal, after a meeting where employees were urged to take the resignation offer, sent an email to the two bosses before sharing it with the remaining employees at EIA. On April 14th, she was placed on administrative leave for the rest of her time at the agency.
“DOGE doesn’t care what we do and will treat us the same as all other agencies: with contempt. Shame on you for falling in line and giving up without any perceptible effort to fight. Shame on you for keeping those you purport to lead in the dark. Shame on you for betraying the mission set to us by Congress and selling out the American people.”
Daniel J.
Berulis
DevSecOps Architect,
Office of Chief Information Officer, National Labor Relations Board
On April 14, 2025, Mr. Berulis contacted Congressional leaders of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform with a whistleblower disclosure regarding the exfiltration of data from government servers to Russia occurred after DOGE gained access to NLRB systems. A week prior, while he was consulting with his attorneys at Whistleblower Aid, someone taped photographs of him, taken by drone, as well as a threatening note.
"I also notice[d] increased logins blocked by access policy due to those log-ins being out of the country. For example: In the days after DOGE accessed NLRB’s systems, we noticed a user with an IP address in Primorskiy Krai, Russia started trying to log in."
Kevin D. Hall, Ph.D.
Section Chief, Integrative Physiology Section, Laboratory of Biological Modeling, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
On April 16, 2025, Dr. Hall felt compelled to retire early as he no longer felt he could freely conduct science.
"Specifically, I experienced censorship in the reporting of our research because of agency concerns that it did not appear to fully support preconceived narratives of my agency’s leadership about ultra-processed food addiction."
Jerome
Powell
Chair, Federal Reserve
Despite Trump's repeated social media attacks against Mr. Powell for not lowering interest rates while the effects of Trump's tariffs are not yet, Mr. Powell has held firm.
On April 16, 2025, Mr. Powell commented:
“People can say whatever they want. That’s fine. That’s not a problem, but we will do what we do strictly without consideration of political or any other extraneous factors.”
On May 25, 2025, Mr. Powell spoke at the Princeton Commencement ceremony.
"When you look back in 50 years, you will want to know that you have done whatever it takes to preserve and strengthen our democracy, and bring us ever closer to the Founders' timeless ideals."
Bridget A.
Brink
U.S. Ambassador to
Ukraine,
Department of State
On April 21, 2025, Ms. Brink resigned her position when she realized Trump's foreign policy was to put pressure on the victim, not the aggressor.
"I cannot stand by while a country is invaded, a democracy bombarded, and children killed with impunity. I believe that the only way to secure U.S. interests is to stand up for democracies and to stand against autocrats. Peace at any price is not peace at all ― it is appeasement. And history has taught us time and again that appeasement does not lead to safety, security or prosperity. It leads to more war and suffering."
Sethuraman Panchanathan
Director,
National Science Foundation
On April 24, 2025, Mr. Panchanathan resigned as the Director of NSF. The day after, hundreds of grants were terminated and NSF employees received emails offering incentives to retire early.
"I believe I have done all I can to advance the critical mission of the agency and feel that it is time for me to pass the baton to new leadership...
This is a pivotal moment for our nation in terms of global competitiveness. NSF is an extremely important investment to make U.S. scientific dominance a reality. We must not lose our competitive edge."
Kelvin B.
Coleman
Associate Administrator,
Commercial Space Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration
On April 24, 2025, Mr. Coleman announced he would be retiring early.
Dr. Minh
Nguyen
Deputy Associate Administrator,
Commercial Space Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration
It has been reported that Dr. Nguyen will be leaving his position in the second round of buyouts. It is unclear whether he is resigning or retiring.
Robert C.
McMillan
Director, Audit & Evaluation Office, Federal Aviation Administration
It has been reported that Mr. McMillan will be leaving his position in the second round of buyouts. It is unclear whether he is resigning or retiring.
John P.
Benison
Assistant Administrator, Office of Civil Rights, Federal Aviation Administration
It has been reported that Mr. Benison will be leaving his position in the second round of buyouts. It is unclear whether he is resigning or retiring.
Mark
House
Assistant Administrator, Finance & Management, Federal Aviation Administration
It had been reported that Mr. House would be leaving his position in the second round of buyouts. It appears he resigned or retired before April 30, 2025.
Nick
Fuller
Vice President, Safety & Technical Training, Air Traffic Organization, Federal Aviation Administration
It has been reported that Mr. Fuller will be leaving his position in the second round of buyouts. It is unclear whether he is resigning or retiring.
Alissa
Ellman
Program Support Assistant,
Education Department,
Veterans Affairs,
Buffalo, New York
Ms. Ellman is a disabled veteran and was fired from her position on February 14, 2025 because she was a probationary employee. The government offered to allow her to return if she didn't speak to the press.
On May 1, 2025, she appeared with other fired federal employees on MSNBC's 'It makes me feel angry': Workers forced out by Trump and Musk speak at MSNBC town hall.
"Veterans are some of the best people I know. Veterans have sacrificed for this country; they are the ones who have been defrauded – their talents wasted and service abused (by the federal layoffs). For many of us these jobs are more than a job; they are how we continue our service, continue our devotion to make America a better place."
Corporation of Public Broadcasting
Private, non-profit corporation
On May 1, 2025, Trump signed an Executive Order to defund PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) and NPR (National Public Radio) and ordered CPB (Corporation for Public Broadcasting) to cut off direct funding to the public broadcasting organizations. CPB responded:
“CPB is not a federal executive agency subject to the President’s authority. Congress directly authorized and funded CPB to be a private nonprofit corporation wholly independent of the federal government."
Terry Adirim, M.D.
Senior, Intelligence Service, Director, Center for Global Health Services, Central Intelligence Agency
On April 4, 2025, Dr. Adirim was informed she was being terminated. This was after far-right extremist Laura Loomer visited the White House. Dr. Adirim has been subjected to online attacks by Ivan Raiklin, one of Loomer's associates and America's Future Inc. Raiklin has publicly called for his "Deep State List" of 350 individuals to be illegally swatted and/or executed.
On May 2, 2025, Dr. Adirim filed a lawsuit against the CIA and Director John Ratcliffe, Mr. Raiklin and America's Future for violations of the Privacy Act, breach of contract, defamation, emotional distress and other counts.
Michael C.
Rogers, M.S.
Associate Commissioner,
Inspections and
Investigations, Food and Drug Administration
On May 5, 2025, Mr. Rogers unexpectedly announced his retirement on May 14, 2025. Mr. Rogers decision came after the new head of the Food and Drug Administration made changes to increase foreign travel, reduce efficiency in conducting foreign surprise inspections but do more of them and amid the drastic personnel cuts in the agency.
Alvin Brown
Vice Chair,
National Transportation
Safety Board
On May 5, 2025, Mr. Brown was suddenly terminated from his position. Mr. Brown was the only Black individual on the Board. Of the remaining four Board members left, three were previously nominated/appointed by Trump, while the fourth was a RNC delegate in 2016 and appointed in the same time frame as Mr. Brown by former President Biden.
Names not
released
Unknown number of senior officials and staff, National Endowment for the Arts
On May 5, 2025, the New York Times reported a number of senior officials and their staff resigned after Trump withdrew grants to arts organizations.
Four of them, Amy Stolls, Katy Day-Yapa, Jessica Flynn, and Mohamed Sheriff, all from the NEA’s Literary Arts division, sent a joint email to library arts colleagues informing that their last day was May 30th.
"Collectively, the four of us have dedicated 57 years of service to the literary arts field. During that time, our charge has always been—at its core—to listen and learn, to respond to the needs of and champion the literary arts field, and to serve the public nationwide to the best of our ability. What a pleasure it has been to do that for and among such a brilliant, creative, supportive community."
Kevin
Abel
Holocaust Memorial Council,
U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
On April 29, 2025, Trump fired a number of members from the 60-person Board--all of whom were appointed for 5-year terms by Biden.
As one of the fired individuals, Mr. Abel emailed the Board on May 9, 2025.
"At this juncture of rising threats and a swirling atmosphere of hatred, it is ever more imperative that the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the one institution that can most credibly call out the administration’s attack of its Council for what it is, not choose to remain silent..."
“The Holocaust teaches us that by using fear to buy silence, the Nazis were able to incrementally isolate, demonize, and then murder millions of Jews.”
Kimberly Marteau Emerson
Holocaust Memorial Council,
U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
On April 29, 2025, Trump fired a number of members from the 60-person Board--all of whom were appointed for 5-year terms by Biden.
As one of the fired individuals, Ms. Emerson responded to Mr. Abel's email of May 9, 2025.
“I have, in particular, considered his [Thomas Mann] 1943 speech on BBC where he said, ‘Tolerance becomes a crime when applied to evil. Mann is challenging us to consider silence not as safety, but as moral risk. Silence is self-censorship framed as self-protection. But how do you draw the line between self-protection and moral abdication?”
Cameron Hamilton
Acting Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency
On May 8, 2025, Trump fired Mr. Hamilton after he testified in front of the House Appropriations Committee the day prior and did not recommend downsizing or eliminating the agency.
“I do not believe it is in the best interests of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency."
Alex
Hoehn-Saric
Commissioner,
Consumer Product Safety Commission
On May 8, 2025, the Trump administration fired Mr. Hoehn-Saric and his fellow commissioners after they objected to two DOGE individuals being formally detailed to the agency.
"The illegal attempt to remove me from the CPSC happened immediately after my colleagues and I took steps to advance our safety work and protect our staff from arbitrary firings. President Trump's action politicizes a critical independent public safety agency that was structured by law to avoid such interference."
Mary T.
Boyle
Commissioner,
Consumer Product Safety Commission
On May 8, 2025, the Trump administration fired Ms. Boyle and her fellow commissioners after they objected to two DOGE individuals being formally detailed to the agency.
"Until my term as commissioner concludes, I will insist on following these time-tested principles, and I will use my voice to speak out on behalf of safety."
Richard
Trumka, Jr.
Commissioner,
Consumer Product Safety Commission
On May 8, 2025, the Trump administration fired Mr. Trumka and his fellow commissioners after they objected to two DOGE individuals being formally detailed to the agency.
"I will continue protecting the American people from harm through that time. [October 2028]. The president would like to end this nation's long history of independent agencies, so he's chosen to ignore the law and pretend independence doesn't exist. I'll see him in court."
Carla
Hayden
Librarian of Congress
On May 8, 2025, Trump unlawfully fired Ms. Hayden from her position. The Library of Congress is part of the Legislative Branch, not the Executive Branch. She holds the distinction of being the first woman and the first Black individual to serve in the role.
Shira
Perlmutter
Register of Copyrights,
U.S. Copyright Office
On May 10, 2025, Trump unlawfully fired Ms. Perlmutter after she released the pre-publication of her report, Copyright and Artificial Intelligence, Part 3: Generative AI Training, to Congress, which recommended that developers of AI should be licensing copyrighted works, not have free reign. The Library of Congress is under the Legislative Branch, not the Executive Branch. She has since sued.
"In our view, American leadership in the AI space would best be furthered by supporting both of these world-class industries that contribute so much to our economic and cultural advancement. Effective licensing options can ensure that innovation continues to advance without undermining intellectual property rights. These groundbreaking technologies should benefit both the innovators who design them and the creators whose content fuels them, as well as the general public."
Robert Ralph
Newlen
Acting Librarian of Congress
On May 12, 2025, two men claiming to be agents of DOGE attempted to access the Library of Congress stating they had been appointed Deputy Librarian and Acting Director of the Copyright Office as well as Acting Register.
Mr. Newlen refused them access. The Library of Congress is part of the Legislative Branch of the U.S. government and not the Executive Branch.
Michael
Collins
Acting Chair for Analysis, National Intelligence Council
On or about May 12, 2025, Tulsi Gabbard fired Mr. Collins after an assessment produced by his office reporting that the Venezuelan government was most likely not directing the actions of the gang, Tren de Arugua. His termination came a week after a partially redacted copy of the report was released the week prior under the Freedom of Information Act.
Maria Langan-Riekhof
Vice Chair for Analysis, National Intelligence Council
On or about May 12, 2025, Tulsi Gabbard fired Ms. Langan-Riekhof after an assessment produced by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence reporting that the Venezuelan government was most likely not directing the actions of the gang, Tren de Arugua. His termination came a week after a partially redacted copy of the report was released the week prior under the Freedom of Information Act.
Alondra
Nelson
National Science Board &
Science Council, Library of Congress
On May 13, 2025, Ms. Nelson resigned from her positions at the National Science Foundation and the Library of Congress.
"The aim of my resignation is to break free of powers that seek to limit knowledge and silence voice. To signal that certain boundary lines have been crossed. To insist that advisory roles must expand knowledge and be more than appendages to predetermined decisions...
"Exit (leaving) and voice (speaking up) need not be mutually exclusive strategies. My resignations are both, an exit that amplifies the voice of others. By departing these advisory roles, I aim to speak more clearly in my own language about what they have become and what they ought to be. This is not an abandonment of loyalty to these institutions' missions, but rather, its highest expression."
Gene
Dodaro
Comptroller General,
Government
Accountability Office
On May 16, 2025, DOGE attempted to infiltrate and embed operatives in the Government Accountability Office. The GAO has 39 investigations open into DOGE and why Congressionally-approved funds have not been spent.
"as a legislative branch agency, GAO is not subject to Executive Orders and has therefore declined any requests to have a DOGE team assigned to GAO."
In a statement to staff:
"We remain committed to GAO's important mission of supporting the Congress in carrying out its constitutional responsibilities. Thank you for continuing to carry out our mission in an objective, professional, and nonpartisan matter.
"Please continue to rely on GAO Notices and the GAO intranet as the reliable sources of information."
Mike
Nedd
Deputy Director,
Administration & Programs, Bureau of Land Management
On May 2, 2025, a DOGE-embedded employee ordered staff to return to their original permanent positions, instead of covering open positions left by the previous DOGE purge. Mr. Nedd instructed staff to ignore the email as the "work was too important."
On May 27, 2025, Mr. Nedd was escorted out of the BLM.
Kim
Sajet
Director,
National Portrait Gallery,
Smithsonian
On May 30, 2025, Trump claimed to fire Ms. Sajet, the first woman to hold the position of Director. Concerns noted by the White House included her donations to Democratic presidential candidates and past interviews about expanding the gallery’s representation. However, Ms. Sajet's position comes under the Smithsonian's Board of Regents, not the Executive Branch.
Ms. Sajet continued to report to work. On June 13, 2025, Ms. Sajet resigned after the Board instructed the Secretary to articulate specific expectations to museum directors and staff regarding content in Smithsonian museums.
Lakshmi Panagiotakopoulos, MD, MPH
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
On June 3, 2025, Dr. Pnagiotakopoulos resigned her position as a pediatric infectious disease expert, which included co-leading the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Her resignation came shortly after Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. prematurely and erroneously stated the CDC would not be recommending COVID-19 vaccines for children or pregnant women. In an email to colleagues, she wrote:
"My career in public health and vaccinology started with a deep-seated desire to help the most vulnerable members of our population, and that is not something I am able to continue doing in this role."
Meredith
Hindley, PhD
Historian and writer, Humanities, National Endowment for the Humanities
Ms. Hindley retired early from her position and her last day was June 6, 2025.
"I believe in the humanities. I believe in good government. And I believe in the vital work NEH has done since its founding. It has been my honor to be a part of that.
"One of the joys of working at NEH has been the people. My colleagues are smart, curious, and above all committed to supporting the humanities. Most of them will be without a job as of next week due to DOGE cuts. Any of them would be an asset to an organization."
NIH
Staff
Various positions,
National Institutes for Health
On June 9, 2025, NIH staff signed the Bethesda Declaration calling for the return and grants of the over 2,100 research projects suspended or terminated since January 20, 2025.
The letter of support at the time of this writing had over 2,300 signatories.
"On June 9, 2025, we sign this declaration in Bethesda, Maryland, U.S. In addition to the named signers, we include anonymous signers and speak for countless others at NIH who share our concerns but who — due to a culture of fear and suppression created by this Administration — chose not to sign their names for fear of retaliation."
12 Board
Members
Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board
On June 11, 2025, the entire board, which included Jed Katz, Denise Grant, Mala Adiga, James Costos, Jen O’Malley Dillon, Carmen Estrada-Schaye, Jennifer Lin,
Jill Nash, David Price, Vinay Reddy, Louisa Terrell, and
Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner, collectively resigned.
"Our resignation is not a decision we take lightly. But to continue to serve after the Administration has consistently ignored the Board’s request that they follow the law would risk legitimizing actions we believe are unlawful and damage the integrity of this storied program and America’s credibility abroad. Indeed, the erosion of the Fulbright program weakens America and our national security interests. Institutions and the rule of law matter and have distinguished our country for almost 250 years. As a Board, we are proud of our stewardship of the program, the way we’ve worked to uphold its mission, integrity, and adherence to the law."
Letters of Support, Concern and Press Releases
Education/Museums/Libraries
Press Releases/Public Statements
American Association of Colleges and Universities - AAC&U, American Council of Learned Societies - ACLS, and Phi Beta Kappa Society - Joint Statement in Support of the Smithsonian Institution - March 31, 2025
"Efforts to suppress inquiry, curb discussion, and limit what the Smithsonian can research, discuss, or share violate the basic principles of free inquiry and expression essential to the pursuit of knowledge that benefits all Americans."
Naval Academy Graduates - Open Letter to the Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy - May 9, 2025 - 779 signatory (on May 10, 2025)
"The strength of the United States Naval Academy has always rested not only in its ability to train future officers, but in its commitment to developing leaders of intellect, character, and moral courage. A foundational part of that mission is the Academy’s academic independence—free from partisan interference or ideological censorship. It is the Superintendent’s duty to protect this independence. Regrettably, it is our view that you are not fulfilling this duty."
Military
Five former Defense Secretaries, William J. Perry, Leon Panetta, Chuck Hagel, Lloyd J. Austin III and Jim Mattis, requesting Congress not confirm any more Defense nominees after the purge of experienced military officials - Appeal to the Congress from Former Secretaries of Defense - February 27, 2025
"The United States cannot afford to have our military infected by partisan politics and distracted from its core mission of defending the nation...We're not asking members of Congress to do us a favor; we're asking them to do their jobs."
Other Agencies
Legal Support/Filings
On or about May 9, 2025, Former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau officials filed an amicus curiae brief in support of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) lawsuit against Russell Vought (OMB) - 16 signatory
"But until now, no leadership group has ever sought to defy Congress and preclude the agency from carrying out its statutory obligations."
Press Releases/Public Statements
On February 6, 2025, Trevor Potter, former Republican chair of the FEC and president of Campaign Legal Center, issued a press release, Trump Illegally Attempts to Fire Federal Election Commission Chair Ellen Weintraub.
"It’s contrary to law that he [Trump] has instead opted to claim to ‘fire’ a single Democratic commissioner who has been an outspoken critic of the president’s lawbreaking and of the FEC’s failure to hold him accountable.”
On February 7, 2025, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) issued a press release, CREW statement on attempted Weintraub firing.
"Trump’s attempt to fire her contradicts the law, as well as the spirit of the bipartisan commission. If it were to succeed, it would permit the most corrupt president in history to unilaterally hobble an independent agency and invite more illegal influence in American elections.”
159 Advocates Send Letter Opposing Plan to Eliminate the CPSC - May 8, 2025 - 159 signatories
“If implemented, this proposal would eradicate – not reorganize – our nation’s governance of product safety. Congress deliberately established an independent agency exclusively charged with the safety of consumer products. Such independence ensures that product safety issues are treated like the public safety imperative they so clearly are. We urge you to preserve an independent, bipartisan CPSC and ensure the agency has the appropriate tools, resources, and personnel to carry out its lifesaving mission.”
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