Six months into the second Trump administration, and after four years of sustained rest, we have returned to the sweeping crescendos and vibrant movements of the legacy media’s symphony of sympathy. Now, the tune has been adapted for departing federal employees as President Trump moves to streamline the federal government — and fast-track its firings for those who abuse their roles as stewards of the taxpayer.
First, the strings were played as the firings began, their delicate timbre of manufactured sympathy resounding as a siren’s song for those uninitiated into their melancholic melody. A woodwind harmony whispering of domestic and global danger joined the tune around the same time, while the brass began bellowing its repetitive — and overused — accusations of lawbreaking and other headline sleights-of-hand against a duly-elected president. And, of course, the drums of wanton legal recourse and accusations of racism over federal reductions-in-force are prevalent in the composition.
Contrary to the snake oil the legacy media is pushing, this fast-tracking of firings is a good thing. Power is being handed back to the people by expediting the departure of federal employees who engage in misconduct, as it ensures our federal employees work to advance the football the way the American people want it taken down the field.
This may seem like an obvious thing to do — and it is, as firing those who don’t perform or harm the shareholder economically or otherwise is prevalent throughout the professional world — but, sadly, the government doesn’t work that way.
As a former congressional staffer, I have seen firsthand the discrepancy between the federal government and professional world, especially as it comes to the professional protections enjoyed by our executive branch friends. It can take months, if not longer, for action to be taken against federal employees engaging in misconduct, even when criminal charges are involved. Even if — and it’s a big “if” — the individuals are dismissed from federal service and not just reassigned somewhere else, the revolving door of the federal government gives them a lucrative career path.
Take, as one of many egregious examples, the saga of “nonbinary” former Biden Department of Energy (DOE) official Sam Brinton. In July and September 2022, Brinton infamously stole thousands of dollars-worth of luggage from airport travelers while working for the federal government, including while traveling on the taxpayer dime as a DOE agent. It took until October 2022 to place Brinton on leave amid the accusations. Then, it took another month to charge him with a felony in November 2022 before he was finally fired from federal service in December 2022. Twelve months later and it was unclear if any internal investigation had taken place into Brinton and his time at the DOE. July 2024 saw Brinton get a sweetheart plea deal to avoid any jail time after facing down a sentence of up to two decades and now Brinton runs his own consulting firm in Washington, D.C.
We have also seen very little action taken in the past against law enforcement officers for behavior unbecoming of their posts, including with misconduct from the Secret Service itself. Under the Biden administration, a Secret Service agent on the Counter Assault Team — which helps protect the president — was detained and sent home by Israeli officials after he allegedly assaulted a woman in the Holy Land. The incident reportedly involved alcohol. The agent’s access to Secret Service systems and facilities was suspended during the agency’s investigation.
And what happened to the Secret Service agent who allegedly assaulted a woman in Israel? The officer’s identity was protected by the agency, even from a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request from the attorneys of the victim of the alleged attack, leading the victim to sue the Secret Service.
Also concerning, we’ve recently seen the press laud as heroes departing federal employees like former Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) Director Dr. Peter Marks, who went rogue and attempted to subvert the will of the American people by blocking Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. from accessing a federal vaccine database on his way out the door.
Imagine the anguish and money saved by quickly removing people in the federal government who did not take their posts, or ended up not taking their posts, seriously. The efficiency of our government and leadership of our nation is better off with professional reality overtaking the federal kayfabe attempting to convince the American people that this is normal behavior.