(WXYZ) — Concern is growing among some metro Detroiters as the Trump administration and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) continue on a path to what they say will make the federal government smaller and more efficient.
In the weeks since Trump's inauguration, more than 200,000 federal employees have been terminated at more than a dozen agencies, according to ABC News. Another 75,000 federal employees have accepted buyouts.
In the last two weeks, the Department of Veteran Affairs has terminated more than 1,000 workers nationally, including some employed at the Detroit VA.
In a statement , the VA says the cuts should not impact operations and will save the department more than $98 million per year. The VA plans to redirect said savings to health care, benefits, and services for VA beneficiaries.
"When I first got that email, I was shocked, quite frankly shocked," said Elliott Sprehe, who was recently terminated from his position at the Detroit VA.
After 8 years of active duty in the Air Force, Sprehe went on to take roles in the private sector and at the VA in Austin, Texas.
In 2024, the 10-point veteran took a public affairs specialist role at the Detroit VA. He says the termination letter he received Feb. 21st cited his status as a probationary employee as the reason for his firing.
Extended interview: 'I was shocked.' Veteran talks about job termination
The probationary status is automatically assigned to employees who have not been in their position for at least a year. Feb 25th, 2025 would have been his one year work anniversary.
"I think all Americans should continually question where our taxpayer dollars go and absolutely want to know that the taxpayer dollars are going toward American citizens. However, the way that I was terminated was completely indiscriminate, haphazard, and short-sighted because I was a high performer," said Sprehe.
As the Trump administration presses forward, fear of additional cuts grows. On Tuesday, about one hundred activists and seniors gathered outside of the Social Security Administration office in Livonia. Many seniors who were there say they are concerned about potential cuts to social security and programs like Medicare and Medicaid.
"I don’t know how you can exist when your social security is being slashed. As you get older, you have more medical bills and house repairs, and you don’t have the income you used to have, and it gets really rough," said Jan Seamonds as she stood among other protesters.
"I’m terrified. My life would change drastically without Social Security, and that’s our money. We put that in. Nobody gave us that money. We loaned it to the government," said Ellie Altman, who attended the protest Tuesday.
The cuts are also impacting jobs in the private sector that relied on government contracts that have been frozen or terminated.
"Everything that is happening right now is impacting so many people," said Deleah Sharp.
Sharp says she was recently let go from her job after the Department of Education grant she was hired under was terminated.
"We service schools that are failing, and we connect them with professional development to really get that school up to grade," Sharp said of her job. "Not only am I thinking about all of the students but my livelihood. My household was impacted because, effective immediately, that grant was terminated."
GOP lawmakers say the cuts will ultimately result in a net positive.
"The federal budget is bloated beyond belief. The Michigan budget is bloated beyond belief," said State Senator Jim Runestad. "This is one of the most exciting things I have seen any administration do: finally start looking at what are we really spending money on."
Extended interview: Sen. Runestad talks about Trump administration strategy
Senator Runestad represents voters in Oakland County. He says Republicans are trying to protect programs like Social Security. He went on to say that if the federal government doesn't make cuts like this now, there will be no money left to support the programs seniors depend on.
"They should not be worried. They should be excited," said Runestad. "There is so much waste and fraud and abuse in the federal government, and we are going to bust. We have $2 trillion annually in additional borrowing."
