Tens of thousands of federal government workers have been fired or have taken buyouts in recent weeks as the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, culls probationary employees in the name of saving taxpayer money. But former federal officials and those who study labor markets say the widespread firings are leading to a government brain drain that will harm the U.S.’s competitiveness globally, lower Americans’ quality of life for years to come, and even hinder some of the Trump administration’s stated objectives.
The problems stemming from the firings will compound in the years to come, says Misty Heggeness, a professor at the University of Kansas and former economist at the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Census Bureau. She notes that a stable, well-run government requires maintaining a long-term career staff that passes their knowledge on to the next generation of career staff.
