WASHINGTON — Republicans are pressing the Trump administration to rein in its “antagonistic” tactics toward government workers as lawmakers have been hounded by complaints and concerns from constituents over the last two weeks.
More than a dozen lawmakers have been met with protests at their local town halls as constituents lodge complaints about the way in which the Department of Government Efficiency has carried out mass layoffs — with several government workers airing concerns about their future in the federal workforce. Republican lawmakers have acknowledged those concerns, noting they are in communication with the Trump administration about the “counterproductive approach.”
“Demonizing a workforce that is a strong workforce that works hard for not a lot of money, that is not the direction that we need to be going,” Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, said in a virtual town hall on Tuesday. “(Federal workers) want to be a part of the solution, and the communication that’s come out from the DOGE world has been antagonistic. And it’s not helpful. And I have over-communicated that.”
Moore specifically pointed to an email that was sent out to federal employees last week asking for an overview of tasks completed the week prior — after which Musk suggested on X that a failure to respond would be considered a resignation notice. The missive set off a firestorm of anger and confusion online as employees questioned the legality of such a requirement and others decrying it as disrespectful.
Moore noted he did not “agree with that approach” and that it is “counterproductive to the fact that so many people want to be a part of the solution.”
“There’s a lot of ways to find waste, fraud, and abuse ... without touching personnel,” Moore said.
Other Republicans have also been hit with a flurry of concerns from constituents over DOGE’s actions, noting they would relay those complaints to the Trump administration in an attempt to tone down the rhetoric.
“Ironically, the first time I ever met Elon Musk, he was asked, ‘What could Republicans do better?’ And his response was … ‘I think you guys could come across as more compassionate,’” Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Ga., who was surprised with a contentious town hall last week, told NBC News. “So I’m going to use (Elon’s) own words when I talk to him.”
Several other lawmakers have also faced testy exchanges with constituents, including Reps. Cliff Bentz, R-Ore.; Stephanie Bice, R-Okla.; and Scott Fitzgerald, R-Wisc., among others.
While many constituent concerns appear to be legitimate, some have been politically motivated. Partisan groups have urged activists to attend town hall meetings or protest outside lawmaker offices “to fight back against the Trump-Musk agenda.” Many of those efforts particularly targeted Republicans in competitive districts.
“MoveOn members and allies will show up at congressional-led town halls and congressional offices across the country, targeting House Republicans whose votes will be crucial in opposing Trump and Musk’s harmful policies,” MoveOn, a political advocacy group, said in a press release.
Some Republicans brushed off the protests, noting that many of the concerns they’ve heard were largely based on Musk himself rather than the actual spending cuts.
“I’ve not heard anybody say they didn’t want to cut anything, it’s just they don’t like Elon,” Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., told reporters. “We’re moving forward with the cuts.”