President Donald Trump's mass purge of federal workers from the civil service accidentally swept up safety inspectors on the front lines of containing a bird flu outbreak — and his administration is struggling to rehire them.
The development, which came after an almost identical incident gutted the workforce of the National Nuclear Safety Administration, earned horror and rebuke from commenters on social media, including multiple elected lawmakers.
"Days after 'accidentally' firing nuclear safety workers, Trump and [Elon] Musk have 'accidentally' fired the people racing to protect the American people from bird flu," wrote Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA). "This is stupid beyond belief. A competent president would intentionally fire DOGE and everyone involved with it."
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"Egg prices are soaring nationwide because of the bird flu. Trump’s USDA: 'We accidentally fired experts tracking the bird flu,'" wrote Rep. Shontel Brown (D-OH).
"I support trimming the federal workforce, particularly low-performers and those in outdated agencies," wrote Jessica Riedl, a conservative economist for the Manhattan Institute who previously advised Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH). "But perhaps DOGE could stop accidentally firing 1) high-clearance nuclear weapons workers, and now 2) bird flu experts, and then - oops! - having to quickly find & rehire them."
"It's all part of the @DOGE plan: 1) Fire thousands of people without knowing what jobs they do 2) Learn that they're actually keeping our nukes safe, planes in the air, and bird flu from spreading 3) Try to re-hire them, if you can find their contact info 4) Congratulate yourself for winning the war against the Woke Mind Virus," wrote Pod Save America's Jon Favreau.
"People are going to learn what government does in the stupidest way f---ing possible," wrote The Nation legal reporter Elie Mystal.
"Sure hope you all like slower inspections, more hazardous materials in food and products, slower benefits and services, and a complete inability to get answers because everyone who knows anything has been fired," wrote attorney Andrew T. Lessman.
"Just have to put a lot of trust in the geniuses who accidentally fired the nuclear scientists and avian flu experts. Give those guys access to your bank info and SSN!" wrote University of Maryland public policy professor and podcaster Ben Yelin.