WUSA 9: Sen. Alsobrooks slams federal workforce reduction as a ‘witch hunt’

By Larry Miller

January 29, 2025

The U.S. senator has to work with leaders across the political spectrum to save federal workers.

WASHINGTON — Maryland Sen. Angela Alsobrooks is voicing strong opposition to the Trump administration’s latest initiative aimed at shrinking the federal government, calling it a “witch hunt” against career civil servants.

The controversy stems from an email sent Tuesday by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to federal employees, offering what it described as a “deferred resignation.” Under the proposal, workers who accept the offer would be allowed to work from home while retaining full pay and benefits until Sept. 30.

The Trump administration claims the initiative is designed to improve government efficiency. However, Alsobrooks argues that the real motive is to cut costs to offset tax breaks for the wealthy.

“This is really about not only clearing out workers—many of whom have dedicated decades of service and are experts in their fields—but also about finding a way to pay for these huge tax cuts for the billionaire friends of this president,” Alsobrooks said.

With more than 300,000 federal employees living in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., the policy could have widespread implications across the region.

President Trump has long advocated for restructuring the federal workforce and, during his campaign, made it clear he sought to downsize government operations. To lead the effort, he appointed Tesla CEO Elon Musk as head of the Department of Government Efficiency, a newly established office tasked with streamlining operations and achieving a $2 trillion savings target.

Democratic lawmakers, however, are preparing to fight back.

“We’re working around the clock to push back against what we see as a very callous and cruel effort—not only to dehumanize but to silence people,” Alsobrooks said. “And I’m going to be pushing back against that.”

Federal employees who received the resignation offer have until Feb. 6 to respond. Meanwhile, Alsobrooks is expected to address the issue further in a speech from the Senate floor Wednesday at 11 p.m.