President Donald Trump is less than two months into his second term, but he has already implemented significant changes throughout the federal government. Perhaps none are more noteworthy than the actions of the Department of Government Efficiency.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has filed numerous lawsuits to stop the mass firing of federal employees and the freezing of grants and funds.
More than a decade ago, the term DOGE referred to a meme featuring a chubby Shiba Inu dog surrounded by Comic Sans phrases in various colors.
But, under the Trump administration, it has taken on a new significance.
Elon Musk, the world’s richest person and a close Trump ally, is collaborating with the president to eliminate as much government waste as possible. He leads the Department of Government Efficiency, also known as DOGE.
Many people now associate the word with the freezing of federal funding and the mass firing of federal employees.
“We’re essentially preparing to lose our jobs, so in my spare time, I’ve been working on my resume,” said Tim Cox, who works for the United States Office of Federal Contract Compliance.
The agency expects to lose nearly 430 people, or roughly 90% of its workforce. Despite the agency’s legal requirement to remain open, Cox says the Phoenix office will close.
“We still have to stay afloat, but they’re whittling us down to essentially ineffectiveness,” he told me.
Cox spoke at a community event hosted by Attorney General Kris Mayes.
“This will have a ripple effect of thousands of jobs, but most of all this affects job seekers, it affects employees that work for federal contractors and two of our most vulnerable populations, which are individuals with disabilities and veterans,” Cox told reporters.
Mayes is hosting a series of community hearings featuring attorneys general from Oregon, New Mexico, and Minnesota.
A recent event at Phoenix’s Central High School drew dozens of attendees.
“In a democracy, it is acceptable to hold opposing viewpoints, but there are also many people here tonight who have lost their jobs or have had to lay off employees and are in crisis mode. So, I’d like to ask that everyone be respectful,” Mayes said.
Partway through, a group of four people arrived with a different viewpoint, one wearing a camouflage Make America Great Again hat and pointing a phone mounted on a stabilizer.
They applaud references to Trump administration actions and boo critics.
“I don’t think there’s a single American who thinks the federal government is working exactly the way it should, but reform should be done lawfully,” Mayes told the crowd.
The audience heard from other community members who had lost their jobs or were affected by the firings.
Among them was Kristin Fray, who spoke at Central High School.
“My name is Kristen, and until last week, I worked with veterans at the Phoenix VA. I worked as a music therapist for veterans who faced unique medical challenges. “TBI, polytrauma, PTSD, and Agent Orange exposure,” Fray explained.
Fray claims her abrupt firing left veterans without access to care.
“Normally, when you end music therapy, you’re supposed to give them recommendations, suggestions, and encourage them to set their own goals for interacting with music independently.
However, these veterans, some of whom are extremely fragile, were unable to achieve closure, putting them at risk for depression, anxiety, or even suicidal ideation,” Fray said.
Michael Robert, Superintendent of Osborn School District, discussed a $3 million grant that had been canceled.
“These funds help support salaries, benefits, additional duties for teachers and leadership coaching and a large portion of the funding, almost half a million dollars, goes towards performance based compensation,” Robert told me.
Elyse Guidas is the executive director of Activate Food Arizona, an organization that provides thousands of people with access to nutritious food.
“Administratively, several grants on which we relied and planned for the coming year have been terminated, forcing me to not only change program plans but also put critical food initiatives on hold.” “It could obviously result in layoffs for my organization,” Guidas stated.
When the event ended after more than two hours, people were still waiting to speak.
As lawsuits continue, the fates of the agencies and fired employees remain unknown.
In the meantime, individuals will continue to speak out. Mayes says she plans to hold more community hearings across the country in the coming months.
“Once in a generation, Americans are called to sacrifice and fight for our country, as well as for our own and our children’s futures, and that is what you and your attorneys general are doing.” So let’s get started,” Mayes stated.
