Northern Virginia

Federal workers express frustration over cuts during Loudoun County town hall

The Trump administration has been fulfilling a campaign promise to diminish the federal workforce

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Amid the Trump administration’s efforts to slash the federal workforce, hundreds of people crowded into the Loudoun County Government Center to ask questions and share their concerns.

The room was at capacity, and hundreds more listened from the lobby as Democratic Rep. Suhas Subramanyam for Virginia’s 10th District listened to concerns and answered questions from federal workers and federal government contractors who are living in fear and confusion.

“The last week or two, everyone's been scared, everyone is afraid every day a shoe is going to drop and we're gonna get cut," said an attendee.

One federal contractor said he's already gotten word that he's out.

“This time next week, I'm gonna have to lay off 150 people, and I want to understand what Congress is going to do to help this," he said.

President Donald Trump empowered tech billionaire Elon Musk to lead a new agency called the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE for short.

Keeping with a campaign promise, Trump is slashing the federal government workforce, and the damage is being felt in homes throughout the DMV.

"In the last week, we had Elon Musk in our building, and after he visited the building he called for a 50% cut of the entire agency,” another attendee said. “My colleagues are getting 15-minute one-on-one check-ins with 19, 20 and 21-year-old college graduates asking to justify their existence."

Subramanyam sits on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and said he wants Musk and members of DOGE to answer to Congress.

"I'd like to have Elon Musk come testify in our committee,” he told News4. “If he has so much power, then why doesn't he come and be accountable to our committee?"

The congressman was asked dozens of times what Congress can do to help federal workers. He said repeatedly that without a congressional majority, Democrats’ hands are tied and urged workers to speak up and share their stories.

"I feel like people should not be in despair and feel like their voice doesn't matter,” he said. “It matters more than ever, and they need to speak up."

For some people, tasking them with speaking up isn't enough of a plan, and the frustration seems to be growing among some Democratic voters.

"I am angry. I am seething," said one attendee. "I want you and I want all the other Democrats as angry as I am."

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