I've Been RIF'd at USAID, but I Still Swear an Oath—to Democracy
When was the last time that you took an oath?
It may have been the vows to your partner when you were married. Within those wedding vows, you swore to put your partner before yourself, to care for them in sickness and health, to cherish and place your partner and family before all others. It may have been as a boy or girl scout, to embody the scout law of being trustworthy, loyal, kind, and courteous. Medical practitioners swear to follow the Hippocratic oath, to care for their patients in an ethical manner. For the most patriotic among us, it may have been at their naturalization ceremony, where they renounce any allegiance to another foreign nation and pledge themselves and their loyalty to the United States.
The last oath I took was as a federal employee for the United States Agency for International Development, right before Donald Trump was sworn in for the second time as president. All federal employees take the oath of office as part of the onboarding process, and it is the most emotional day you can imagine.
Americans of all races, faiths, and creeds, pledging to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and to faithfully execute the laws and duties of their office. The vast melting pot of America made manifest and reiterating their commitment to the community and country that enabled their well-being. That act centers and frames the work that federal employees do.
The oath is an immensely powerful act. It is a verbalization of your commitment to something larger than yourself. The oath of office has been a guiding principle for me, and for thousands of other government employees, in the past four months. While Trump has continued his relentless assault against the rule of law in his attempt to destroy U.S. institutions and bend the federal government to his will, terminated government employees have been acting as the last line of defense in one final act of public service to the country.
(I technically still work at USAID, but with the Trump administration's elimination of the agency, we're counting down the days we have left. A large portion of USAID will be RIF'd, or officially terminated, on July 1, myself included. I'm currently on paternity leave for the birth of our first son. The remainder of staff will continue to draw down actions, do their best to transfer data and functions over to the State Department, and bring the remaining USAID foreign service officers and their families home. For their efforts, they'll be shown the door on September 1.)
Elon Musk has left Washington, and DOGE is to some extent out of the headlines. But rest assured, the damage is still being done. That's why terminated employees have been taking and continue to take action, ranging from the April 5 Hands Off rally to the Tuesday Group—an array of terminated government employees who, as the name implies, meet every Tuesday in the Hart Senate Office Building to conduct peaceful sit-ins of Senate offices and communicate the damage that is being done to their respective states through the wholesale destruction of the departments and agencies that they have devoted their lives to.
The conversations with the Senate staffers are often shocking. One would anticipate that the Senate is up to speed on what is happening, able to track stats of terminations and dollars cut by DOGE. The reality, unfortunately, is much worse. Instead, our stories of trauma are often the first time that the Senate staffers are made aware of the cancellation of programs and the stoppage of work.
DOGE has moved so quickly, refused to report through traditional channels, and in some cases outright lied to the Senate and House during congressional meetings that it may take upward of a year to fully understand the level of damage it has done. The U.S. is shedding expertise and capacity at a rate unseen in our lifetimes. The only thing that DOGE can do is destroy. Any fool can kick a barn down, but it takes a carpenter to build it.
Since the Trump administration began, an estimated one in 10 federal employees have been terminated. The damage that will be done to the American people cannot be overstated. Government employees are the silent workhorses that keep America safe, providing services for the most vulnerable, such as Meals on Wheels and Head Start educational support, and performing more mundane tasks like weather monitoring and tracking E. coli outbreaks. Even as a government employee, I have been woefully unaware of the number of services my colleagues provide to the American people, and it is only by connecting with them at these protests that I've learned the utter havoc that these cuts will wreak.
Every former employee I talk to expresses a sense of bafflement and bewilderment at the callousness and carelessness with which these cuts are being performed. They recall their shock and horror as the DOGE bros come in with sledgehammers and cancel education grants, food aid contracts, and other key services; their overriding goal to slash and burn the carefully curated system that has been built over generations, instead of reforming or improving the government.
Unfortunately, the actions and protests of terminated government employees can be added to the long list of protests that have galvanized the people but have not had an appreciable impact on policy. In the past 20 years, the U.S. has seen some of the largest protests, the largest social movements in history, and they have had the smallest effects on policy. The generational struggle for equality has continued with immense numbers of Americans marching for racial justice in the Black Lives Matter protests, sharing stories of abuse through the #MeToo movement, and confronting inequality through Occupy Wall Street.
We are more acutely aware of the problems that we face, yet we find ourselves unable to rally the political will to implement any solutions. Instead our dysfunction has allowed reactionary forces to erode our rights and empower the worst facets of our id. Trump was elected in 2024 by promising to fix all of the problems that Americans have articulated, and since taking office he has instead poured gasoline on all of our challenges, actively inflaming our wounds and highlighting the broken facets of our government.
Most people would be disheartened by this. What can one person do against such reckless hate? This: We must all take and retake our oaths—to verbalize our social contract to each other, to recognize that the Constitution is a parchment barrier and that the power it has comes from the people. Our actions and beliefs give it purpose and tangibility.
It is time for solidarity. Not a fantasy solidarity where a magical combination of impeccable motive, purehearted action, and presupposed triumph usher in a progressive victory unmet by opposing forces; where without sweat and equity the vaunted march of history continues forward. We must retake our oath to America with a full understanding of the perils of our age, with a full comprehension of the dangers that our democracy faces, and how close we are to losing it.
Taking an oath binds you to an understanding that society demands more than your passive acknowledgment; it requires your active participation. True solidarity does not tolerate the papering over of our differences but grows and strengthens through listening to the experiences of our community, through understanding the internal discomfort of being wrong and having the fortitude to recognize each other's differences. We must all recognize that being a citizen of a healthy democracy requires us to take the oath below; that our office of being an engaged citizen is the highest calling we can achieve. Let us all retake our oath to America, that:
I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.
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CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
Democratic governors slam Trump's military deployment in California as ‘flagrant abuse of power'
Democratic governors on Thursday slammed President Donald Trump's deployment of the National Guard and Marines to California amid protests over the administration's immigration enforcement policies. 'As we speak, an American city has been militarized over the objections of their governor,' New York Gov. Kathy Hochul began her testimony at a hearing on Capitol Hill. 'At the outset I just want to say that this is a flagrant abuse of power and nothing short of an assault on our American values.' The hearing is playing out against the backdrop of protests in Los Angeles and cities across the country against the Trump administration's immigration enforcement actions. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has clashed with Trump over his decision to deploy National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles despite opposition from the state and city's Democratic leaders. Thursday's proceedings on Capitol Hill gave a high-profile platform to some of the Democratic Party's potential 2028 contenders to craft their response to the Trump administration's controversial immigration tactics, as the party seeks to calibrate its messaging on issues of crime and public safety. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker called it wrong 'to deploy the National Guard and active duty Marines into an American city, over the objection of local law enforcement' and 'to tear children away from their homes and their mothers and fathers.' The Illinois governor condemned any violence, but he also delivered a warning to the Trump administration over potential plans to broaden the scope of the immigration crackdown, including the deployment of the National Guard in other states. 'We will not participate in abuses of power. We will not violate court orders. We will not ignore the Constitution. We will not defy the Supreme Court. We will not take away people's rights to peacefully protest,' Pritzker said. Hochul, Pritzker and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz are testifying at a hearing focused on 'sanctuary state' policies. 'Sanctuary' jurisdictions is a broad term referring to jurisdictions with policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement actions, but the term is nebulously defined. Walz, who noted his state does not have so-called sanctuary legislation guiding enforcement policies, blasted the Trump administration's 'cruel and misguided policies.' 'We have a broken immigration system in this country. I think everyone in this room agrees with that. But nothing Minnesota has done to serve its own people stands in the way of the federal government managing border security and policies,' Walz said. And each governor laid the blame at Congress' feet for failing to adequately tackle comprehensive immigration reform. House Oversight Chair James Comer, meanwhile, criticized the Democratic governors' approach to immigration enforcement, saying in his opening remarks that 'Democrat-run sanctuary cities and states are siding with illegal aliens.' 'For today's Democrat Party, it seems unlimited illegal immigration isn't a failure of policy – it is the policy. And that agenda is being pushed at every level of government,' he continued. The Democratic governors explained the way their states cooperate with ICE on criminal enforcement, but Republicans have pushed for state and local officials to cooperate in all immigration enforcement matters. Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik clashed sharply with Hochul during the hearing, providing a potential preview of next year's gubernatorial race in the Empire State with the congresswoman eyed as a top possible GOP contender. New York Republican Rep. Mike Lawler, whose name is also in the mix as a potential GOP gubernatorial candidate, also briefly appeared at the hearing even though he does not sit on the committee. Stefanik also does not sit on the panel. The clash came as Stefanik questioned Hochul over New York's sanctuary policies for undocumented immigrants, pressing her repeatedly to recall details of what the congresswoman claimed were violent crimes committed by migrants in New York City during the governor's administration. 'Do you know who Sebastian Zapeta-Calil is?' Stefanik asked Hochul at one point. 'I'm sure you'll tell me,' Hochul said, when Stefanik cut in again. 'These are high-profile cases, New Yorkers know about them and you don't – so let's talk about Sebastian Zapeta-Calil. Do you know who that is?' she asked, referencing a high-profile case of subway violence from late last year in which an undocumented migrant was accused of setting fire to a woman who was asleep while riding a New York City train. 'I don't have the specific details at my disposal, no,' Hochul answered. After describing the case, Stefanik said, 'This is in Kathy Hochul's New York.' 'These crimes are horrific, I condemn them, and I would say – in all of these cases we would work with ICE to remove them,' Hochul said. CNN reported in January that Zapeta-Calil, 33, an undocumented migrant from Guatemala, pleaded not guilty to murder charges in the death of Debrina Kawam, 57. Zapeta-Calil repeatedly told detectives he had no memory of the attack. Then, investigators played surveillance video that allegedly caught him igniting the flames. 'Oh, damn, that's me,' Zapeta-Calil said during questioning with police that was transcribed and translated, according to court documents. 'I am very sorry. I didn't mean to. But I really don't know. I don't know what happened, but I'm very sorry for that woman,' Zapeta-Calil told police. Florida Democratic Rep. Maxwell Frost asked each of the governors how they would handle potential arrests by the federal government, as he decried Trump having endorsed the idea of arresting California Gov. Gavin Newsom. 'If Tom Homan comes to Albany to arrest me, I'll say go for it. You can't intimidate a governor,' Hochul said, referring to the White House border czar. 'We're here on the frontlines every day, fighting to defend our rights, our values, and the public safety of our residents. And so, anything threatening our responsibility is an assault on our democracy, nothing short of that.' 'If Tom Homan were to come to try to arrest us, me, rather, I could say first of all that he can try,' Pritzker said. 'I can also tell you that I will stand in the way of Tom Homan going after people who don't deserve to be frightened in their communities, who don't deserve to be threatened, terrorized – I would rather that he came and arrested me than do that to the people of my state.' 'I didn't realize how much animosity there is here – we have a responsibility to the American public to work together. And I think threatening arrests on elected officials, congressman, it doesn't help any of us,' said Walz. 'And Gov. Pritzker is right – our citizens are scared and angry and it's not necessary. We can fix this with a bipartisan border bill, help us out.'

an hour ago
Trump signs measure blocking California's ban on new sales of gas-powered cars
WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump signed a resolution on Thursday that blocks California's first-in-the-nation rule banning the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035. The state quickly announced it was challenging the move in court, with California's attorney general holding a news conference to discuss the lawsuit before Trump's signing ceremony ended at the White House. The resolution was approved by Congress last month and aims to quash the country's most aggressive attempt to phase out gas-powered cars. Trump also signed measures to overturn state policies curbing tailpipe emissions in certain vehicles and smog-forming nitrogen oxide pollution from trucks. Trump called California's regulations 'crazy' at a White House ceremony where he signed the resolutions. 'It's been a disaster for this country,' he said. It comes as the Republican president is mired in a clash with California's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, over Trump's move to deploy troops to Los Angeles in response to immigration protests. It's the latest in an ongoing battle between the Trump administration and heavily Democratic California over issues including tariffs, the rights of LGBTQ+ youth and funding for electric vehicle chargers. The state is already involved in more than two-dozen lawsuits challenging Trump administration actions, and the state's Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the latest one at a news conference in California. Ten other states, all with Democratic attorneys general, joined the lawsuit filed Thursday. 'The federal government's actions are not only unlawful; they're irrational and wildly partisan,' Bonta said. 'They come at the direct expense of the health and the well-being of our people.' The three resolutions Trump signed will block California's rule phasing out gas-powered cars and end the sale of new ones by 2035. They will also kill rules that phase out the sale of medium- and heavy-duty diesel vehicles and cut tailpipe emissions from trucks. In his remarks at the White House, Trump expressed doubts about the performance and reliability of electric vehicles, though he had some notably positive comments about the company owned by Elon Musk, despite their fractured relationship. 'I like Tesla,' Trump said. In remarks that often meandered away from the subject at hand, Trump used the East Room ceremony to also muse on windmills, which he claimed 'are killing our country,' the prospect of getting electrocuted by an electric-powered boat if it sank and whether he'd risk a shark attack by jumping as the boat went down. 'I'll take electrocution every single day," the president said. When it comes to cars, Trump said he likes combustion engines but for those that prefer otherwise, 'If you want to buy electric, you can buy electric.' 'What this does is it gives us freedom,' said Bill Kent, the owner of Kent Kwik convenience stores. Kent, speaking at the White House, said that the California rules would have forced him to install 'infrastructure that frankly, is extremely expensive and doesn't give you any return.' The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents major car makers, applauded Trump's action. 'Everyone agreed these EV sales mandates were never achievable and wildly unrealistic,' John Bozzella, the group's president and CEO, said in a statement. Newsom, who is considered a likely 2028 Democratic presidential candidate, and California officials contend that what the federal government is doing is illegal and said the state plans to sue. Newsom said Trump's action was a continuation of his 'all-out assault' on California. 'And this time he's destroying our clean air and America's global competitiveness in the process,' Newsom said in a statement. 'We are suing to stop this latest illegal action by a President who is a wholly-owned subsidiary of big polluters.' The signings come as Trump has pledged to revive American auto manufacturing and boost oil and gas drilling. The move follows other steps the Trump administration has taken to roll back rules that aim to protect air and water and reduce emissions that cause climate change. The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday proposed repealing rules that limit greenhouse gas emissions from power plants fueled by coal and natural gas. Dan Becker with the Center for Biological Diversity, said the signing of the resolutions was 'Trump's latest betrayal of democracy.' 'Signing this bill is a flagrant abuse of the law to reward Big Oil and Big Auto corporations at the expense of everyday people's health and their wallets,' Becker said in a statement. California, which has some of the nation's worst air pollution, has been able to seek waivers for decades from the EPA, allowing it to adopt stricter emissions standards than the federal government. In his first term, Trump revoked California's ability to enforce its standards, but Democratic President Joe Biden reinstated it in 2022. Trump has not yet sought to revoke it again. Republicans have long criticized those waivers and earlier this year opted to use the Congressional Review Act, a law aimed at improving congressional oversight of actions by federal agencies, to try to block the rules. That's despite a finding from the U.S. Government Accountability Office, a nonpartisan congressional watchdog, that California's standards cannot legally be blocked using the Congressional Review Act. The Senate parliamentarian agreed with that finding. California, which makes up roughly 11% of the U.S. car market, has significant power to sway trends in the auto industry. About a dozen states signed on to adopt California's rule phasing out the sale of new gas-powered cars.


Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
Democratic Senator Alex Padilla is forcefully removed from DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's news conference and handcuffed
'I'm Sen. Alex Padilla. I have questions for the secretary,' he shouted in a halting voice. The stunning scene of a U.S. senator being aggressively removed from a Cabinet secretary's news conference prompted immediate outrage from his Democratic colleagues in the chamber. It comes as the Trump administration has aggressively targeted protesters in California who are demonstrating against immigration raids, including by sending in National Guard troops and Marines. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said Padilla 'chose disrespectful political theater and interrupted a live press conference.' They claimed erroneously that Padilla did not identify himself and said Secret Service believed him to be an attacker. Advertisement 'Padilla was told repeatedly to back away and did not comply with officers' repeated commands,' the statement said, adding that 'officers acted appropriately.' Padilla's office said in a statement that he was in the building for a military briefing and stepped into Noem's event. 'He tried to ask the secretary a question, and was forcibly removed by federal agents, forced to the ground and handcuffed. He is not currently detained, and we are working to get additional information,' his office said. Advertisement California Senator Alex Padilla was pushed out of the room as Noem held a news conference regarding the recent protests in Los Angeles on Thursday. Etienne Laurent/Associated Press Noem told Fox LA afterward that she had a 'great' conversation with Padilla after the scuffle, but called his approach 'something that I don't think was appropriate at all.' The fracas in Los Angeles came just days after Democratic U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver was indicted on federal charges alleging she assaulted and interfered with immigration officers outside a detention center in New Jersey while Newark's mayor was being arrested after he tried to join a congressional oversight visit at the facility. Democrats have framed the charges as intimidation efforts by the Trump administration. Padilla, the son of immigrants from Mexico, has been a harsh critic of President Donald Trump and his mass deportations agenda. In a post on the social platform X, he said of recent federal immigration raids in Los Angeles, 'Trump isn't targeting criminals in his mass deportation agenda, he is terrorizing communities, breaking apart families and putting American citizens in harm's way.' At the Capitol, senators were sharing the video among one another as they gathered on the Senate floor for a series of votes. Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del., said she texted Padilla immediately 'to let him know we support him.' She said she also showed it to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. 'I think he was as shocked as we all were,' Blunt Rochester said. 'So, hopefully we will come together as one voice.' Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat, called the video 'utterly revolting' and said there should be consequences. Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick and Seung Min Kim in Washington and Jaimie Ding contributed to this report. Advertisement