Rep. Dingell says Trump's taking ‘meat cleaver’ to federal departments

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Donald Trump’s presidency has been marked by confusion and chaos for tens of thousands of federal workers across the country.

Federal departments are under scrutiny by Trump and Elon Musk, under the guise of making the government more efficient. Although Musk wasn’t elected by anyone, he’s been making sweeping changes and massive cuts to federal agencies — many of which regulate his companies.

His so-called Department of Government Efficiency, approved by Trump, has fired 1,000 National Parks Service employees; 3,400 U.S. Forest Service workers and 2,400 people at the Veterans Affairs department.

These moves have frustrated many people and sparked some heated moments across the country. In town halls held this past weekend, Republican lawmakers were confronted by angry voters demanding answers.

Doug Collins, the Trump-appointed Veterans Affairs Secretary, has said the department isn’t cutting critical health care or benefits.

To discuss these massive cuts to federal agencies, Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Dingell joined The Metro. She represents Michigan’s 6th Congressional District and she’s been sounding the alarm about cuts to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

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Authors

Robyn Vincent
Robyn Vincent is the co-host of The Metro on WDET. She is an award-winning journalist, a lifelong listener of WDET, and a graduate of Wayne State University, where she studied journalism. Before returning home to Detroit, she was a reporter, producer, editor, and executive producer for NPR stations in the Mountain West, including her favorite Western station, KUNC. She received a national fellowship from Investigative Reporters and Editors for her investigative work that probed the unchecked power of sheriffs in Colorado. She was also the editor-in-chief of an alternative weekly newspaper in Wyoming, leading the paper to win its first national award for a series she directed tracing one reporter’s experience living and working with Syrian refugees.
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Tia Graham
Tia Graham is a reporter and Weekend Edition Host for 101.9 WDET. She graduated from Michigan State University where she had the unique privilege of covering former President Barack Obama and his trip to Lansing in 2014.
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Tags: Debbie Dingell, DOGE, Donald Trump, Government & politics, Trump administration, U.S. Congress