‘We know what is coming’: Federal bureaucrats wrestle with fight-or-flight response to Trump election

Federal bureaucrats are anxious about the possibility of working under a second Trump administration, fearing budget cuts, policy reversals, and retaliation for disloyalty. Trump’s history of targeting civil servants and his plans to appoint political loyalists have led to concerns about a “brain drain” from the federal workforce. Officials at various agencies, including the State Department, Department of Transportation, and Environmental Protection Agency, are worried about the impact of Trump’s policies on their work. There are also concerns about the future of vaccine research and the public health response to Covid-19 under a second Trump term. While some employees are considering leaving their positions, others are trying to find ways to work with the administration and its policies.