August 30, 2025

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created a storm this Friday by firing at least eight employees who dared to sign a bold letter criticizing the agency’s top bosses, including Administrator Lee Zeldin, and the Trump administration’s environmental policies. What’s the buzz all about? It started when over 170 EPA workers put their names on a so-called “declaration of dissent” last June, claiming the EPA was no longer protecting human health and the environment properly. This was a rare and brave public smackdown by employees who feared backlash. But the EPA fired back hard! A spokeswoman, Molly Vaseliou, said the letter “contains inaccurate information designed to mislead the public about agency business.” She stressed the agency has a "zero-tolerance policy for career officials using their agency position and title to unlawfully undermine, sabotage and undercut the will of the American public that was clearly expressed at the ballot box last November.” Though Vaseliou would not reveal exactly how many were fired, union leaders spilled the beans. Justin Chen, president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Council 238, which represents thousands of EPA workers, confirmed that at least six probationary staff and two career employees faced the axe. This comes after 139 workers were first put on administrative leave for signing the dissent. Chen condemned the crackdown, proclaiming, “The Trump administration and EPA's retaliatory actions against these workers was clearly an assault on labor and free-speech rights.” He said those disciplined ranged from scientists and engineers to lawyers and emergency responders—all people dedicated to protecting communities and the environment. But the troubles don’t stop at the EPA. Similar protests are happening at other agencies. Over 180 current and former FEMA employees signed a letter warning that staffing cuts have weakened disaster response capabilities. Not surprisingly, some FEMA staff who spoke out were put on administrative leave. Back at EPA headquarters, the agency recently announced it will shut down its research and development branch and cut its staff by nearly 23%, slashing over 3,700 jobs since Trump took office. Officials expect the workforce to shrink to about 12,500 employees. Critics say these moves weaken America’s ability to protect the environment and public health. This clash shows how fiery the battle is inside the EPA and other federal agencies. The question on everyone’s lips: Can employees speak out without fear? Or has the whistleblower whistle been blown and shut for good?

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Tags: Epa, Employee firings, Lee zeldin, Trump administration, Environmental protection, Labor rights,