Trump Gets Rude Awakening as Fired Workers Go Public

Summary

Podcast Summary: The MeidasTouch Podcast Episode: "Trump Gets Rude Awakening as Fired Workers Go Public" Release Date: February 23, 2025

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Introduction

In this episode of The MeidasTouch Podcast, hosts Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas delve into the controversial actions of former President Donald Trump concerning the mass termination of federal employees. The discussion is framed by the brothers' signature blend of humor, brotherly banter, and a staunch defense of democratic values. The episode provides a platform for numerous veterans and federal workers who have been adversely affected by these layoffs to share their personal stories, highlighting the human impact behind the political maneuvers.

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Mass Firings of Federal Workers

The episode opens with the hosts addressing the alarming trend of mass layoffs orchestrated by Donald Trump, targeting federal employees across various departments. They emphasize the scale of these terminations, noting that "tens of thousands of workers have been fired" and expressing concern over the demographic most affected—disabled veterans who constitute approximately 30 to 40% of the federal workforce.

Ben Meiselas remarks at [02:35]:
"Donald Trump is tearing the lives of our disabled veterans apart, firing them and treating them like absolute trash."

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Personal Accounts from Fired Veterans

The brothers share multiple firsthand accounts from veterans who have lost their federal jobs, underscoring the emotional and professional devastation caused by these actions.

1. Greg House's Story ([03:07] - [04:34])
   Greg House, a Navy veteran and dedicated employee of the Salt Lake Veteran Affairs Department, discusses his unexpected termination. Despite receiving top performance evaluations, Greg was abruptly fired without a clear explanation, leaving him feeling betrayed after dedicating his life to serving the country.

   Greg House at [04:00]:
   "My employment with the VA had been terminated due to my performance, which didn't make much sense to me."

2. Chelsea Milburn's Testimony ([04:46] - [06:07])
   Chelsea Milburn, an 80% disabled veteran, shares her emotional experience of being let go from her federal position. She articulates the profound sense of devaluation and inhumanity she feels, emphasizing that her service and dedication were not recognized or respected.

   Chelsea Milburn at [05:05]:
   "I feel very much like the message is that my service isn't valued. They don't care about how this impacts me or people like me."

3. Andrew Lennox's Experience ([08:15] - [11:07])
   Andrew Lennox, a Marine Corps veteran and administrative officer at the VA, recounts his surprise and disbelief upon receiving his termination notice. He highlights the lack of performance reviews and the arbitrary nature of the layoffs, which he believes were unjustified.

   Andrew Lennox at [09:17]:
   "I was terminated for my performance. I haven't even had a performance review. Nobody consulted any supervisors or even the director of our hospital before making these terminations."

4. Nelson Feliz Sr.'s Case ([11:07] - [13:02])
   Nelson Feliz Sr., a 30-year Army veteran, details his sudden dismissal from his role supporting mental health services at the VA. He points out the inconsistencies in the stated reasons for termination and the broader implications for veteran services.

   Nelson Feliz Sr. at [12:49]:
   "They just took it random. Everybody that they send this letter to said it was performance. But there's a form called 0750 that will show that that was incorrect."

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Broader Implications and Public Reaction

The hosts discuss the broader impact of these mass layoffs on federal services and the wellbeing of veterans. They highlight the deficiencies introduced in critical support systems, such as mental health services and administrative support within VA hospitals, which are essential for effective veteran care.

Brett Meiselas comments:
"When you take the support away, it may seem minor, but it has a cascading effect on the entire system, jeopardizing the care veterans receive."

The episode also touches upon the public's growing discontent with the administration's policies. The hosts note a significant decline in consumer sentiment and Trump's approval ratings, citing the University of Michigan's consumer survey indicating a double-digit decline in February.

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Contradictions and Executive Comments

The podcast highlights contradictions in official statements regarding the nature of the layoffs. While Trump and his administration have portrayed the terminated workers as underperformers, many of the fired employees dispute this characterization, pointing to their positive evaluations and lack of prior performance issues.

Kevin Hassett, Trump's National Economic Council Director, is cited as mocking the terminated workers by suggesting,
"People who get fired never say they perform bad." This dismissive attitude is contrasted with the veterans' pleas for recognition and fair treatment.

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Cuts to Critical Services

Beyond layoffs, the episode addresses the cuts to essential programs, including:

• Veterans Affairs Crisis Hotlines: Essential for assisting suicidal veterans.
• 911 Health Programs: Providing healthcare to first responders and civilians exposed to hazardous conditions.

The hosts emphasize the potential risks these cuts pose to public safety and health, lamenting the administration's disregard for the well-being of those who serve the nation.

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Privacy Concerns and Broader Political Ramifications

The discussion broadens to include concerns over privacy, criticizing proposals that would allow billionaires like Elon Musk access to sensitive personal data. The hosts argue that such measures infringe upon individual rights regardless of political affiliation, calling for collective action to protect privacy and uphold democratic principles.

Jordy Meiselas urges listeners:
"We should not be okay with that regardless of political party. So stand up and make your voice heard."

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Conclusion and Call to Action

Concluding the episode, the Meiselas brothers express solidarity with the affected veterans and federal workers, framing their stories as emblematic of a larger attack on the dignity and integrity of public servants. They encourage listeners to take a stand against the injustices being perpetrated and to support the affected individuals in their fight for fair treatment.

Ben Meiselas wraps up:
"My heart goes out to all of those veterans, disabled veterans who lost their jobs and whose dignity was attacked. It's an attack on the dignity of all veterans and hardworking government workers."

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Ben Meiselas at [02:35]:
  "Donald Trump is tearing the lives of our disabled veterans apart, firing them and treating them like absolute trash."

• Greg House at [04:00]:
  "My employment with the VA had been terminated due to my performance, which didn't make much sense to me."

• Chelsea Milburn at [05:05]:
  "I feel very much like the message is that my service isn't valued. They don't care about how this impacts me or people like me."

• Andrew Lennox at [09:17]:
  "I was terminated for my performance. I haven't even had a performance review. Nobody consulted any supervisors or even the director of our hospital before making these terminations."

• Nelson Feliz Sr. at [12:49]:
  "They just took it random. Everybody that they send this letter to said it was performance. But there's a form called 0750 that will show that that was incorrect."

• Kevin Hassett at [18:56]:
  "These federal workers were bad workers," mocking the competence of the terminated employees.

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Final Thoughts

This episode of The MeidasTouch Podcast serves as a poignant exposé on the human cost of political policies, particularly those targeting federal employees and veterans. Through heartfelt testimonies and incisive commentary, the Meiselas brothers shed light on the systemic issues undermining the very fabric of American public service and democracy. Listeners are left with a clear call to action: to stand in solidarity with the affected individuals and to advocate for the preservation of dignity and respect within governmental institutions.

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Transcript

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This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Fiscally responsible financial geniuses, Monetary magicians. These are things people say about drivers who switch their car insurance to progressive and save hundreds. Visit progressive.com to see if you could save Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliate. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states or situations. Donald Trump has been firing thousands of federal workers Every day. Tens of thousands of workers have been fired and now these workers are speaking out in public. A lot of them are disabled veterans. Veterans make up about 30 to 40% of our federal workforce. After sacrificing on the battlefield and across the country for our military. Oftentimes our veterans get work within the federal government to serve for their lifetime. Donald Trump is tearing their lives apart, firing them and treating them like absolute trash. They're now speaking out about it. Let me share some of these stories with you and as you'll see at the end of the video, some individuals were even Trump supporters and didn't think this was going to happen. But let's just show you at first, some disabled veterans who have lost their jobs. For example, here's a disabled veteran who lost his job with the Salt Lake Veteran Affairs Department. This is from Fox 13 News in Utah. Play this clip.

[Unknown Reporter]

Some federal workers may tell you a job with the government takes on a higher meaning.

[Greg House]

We joined it because we want to serve our nation's veterans, to serve our schools, our park goers, you know, everywhere that the federal government touches.

[Unknown Reporter]

For Navy veteran Greg House, he wanted to continue helping others who have spent time in the military.

[Greg House]

I get almost all of my care at the VA hospital. That is a huge part of my identity and I want to serve them.

[Unknown Reporter]

So he jumped at the chance to join the Veterans affairs team in Salt Lake City last year. And all indicators told him he was.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Thriving in the role because I had.

[Greg House]

Only received top marks on my most recent performance evaluation.

[Unknown Reporter]

But on February 13th, House discovered that the VA cut 11000 probationary employees. The next day, he saw an email.

[Greg House]

My employment with the VA had been terminated due to my performance, which didn't make much sense to me.

[Unknown Reporter]

House says it feels like a betrayal because from his time served in the Navy to his years here at the va, his entire adult life has been dedicated to this country.

[Greg House]

And it hurts to see that my story is not unique and that all of these thousands and thousands of probationary employees are having something that they've worked so hard for be just taken away.

[Unknown Reporter]

This 80% disabled veteran now joins many others around the country who are left searching for their next step and who are left hoping that others don't have to meet this same fate.

[Unknown Host]

The next clip I want to share with you is just so sad and it's Chelsea Milburn. She's a disabled veteran sharing her emotional story about being fired from her federal job that she worked so hard at by Donald Trump. Here, play this clip.

[Chelsea Milburn]

I've already said I served my country for 11 years, nine of them on active duty. I deployed twice. I spent so much time away from my family. Oh no. I was gone when my mom passed away and I missed that to serve my country. And I was excited to continue serving in this capacity. And they not only tore that out from under my feet, but couldn't even just grant me a layoff and instead place the blame on me that it was my performance. And I've got nothing but positive reviews on that. So I feel very much like the message is that my service isn't valued. They don't care about how this impacts me or people like me. And to me it's inhumane. It feels like they're ignoring our personhood and not respecting us as human beings or as American citizens.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah, that one brought a tear to my eye. Here is another veteran fired by the Trump administration. Here's what she had to say about what happened to her. Play this clip Yes, I was the.

[Nelson Feliz Sr.]

Program support assistant at the Cedar Rapids Vet Center. We were mental health or they are a mental health and behavioral health center. We have a director and counselors and then I support the system there. I did up until Friday, February 14th. I was met at the door by my director. She let me know that I was done. I had no idea. It hit me out of the blue. I didn't even know I was on a list that would possibly be considered. But it appears that any one of us could be on that list. I was allowed online the entire day to be able to sort my business and I still haven't been able to offload or off board completely. So because we are in limbo, I don't know Logan's experience, but mine is that I still am somewhere kind of in between. And since I work for the Veterans Health Administration, there is no one now to meet our clients at the door. There's no one to confirm schedules. There's no one to help and assist with our counselors. And anytime you take the support away may seem minor. I was a GS6. I was on the lowest levels of the GS scale. May seem minor, but the next time you walk into a doctor's office and there's no one to meet you at the front desk, you have no idea what's going on in the background. You have no idea if you have a schedule or an appointment still. And no one's there to balance the budget, to order things, to make sure the doctors and nurses or counselors have the support that they need and in turn, clients that come in to assure their anonymity to ensure that that they get their needs met. And when we talk about veterans, we're talking about 1% of the population of the United States. I'm one of them. So when Doug Collins, the secretary of the va, said he would watch out for me, he would watch out for veterans and protect us if he was nominated as the secretary. Well, of the 220,000 of us that lost our positions with the government, many of us, many of us are veterans. And I'm one of them. That's.

[Unknown Host]

And folks, there are tens of thousands of stories just like this. I'll just share a few more with you. And I've went through them all. And if I kept on showing these over and over again, I think you, you get the point. I just, I want to give these individuals a voice on this platform as well. And I want you to see how cruel and unusual the treatment is by the Trump administration, by Elon Musk, against people who have sacrificed their lives for the United States of America. It's so horrific. Here is a veteran by the name of Andrew Lennox. He's speaking out after his job at Veterans affairs was turned terminated in the Doge purge. Let's play it.

[Chelsea Milburn]

Want to understand something because the grounds for termination in your case and so many others is basically a question of whether your continued employment was in the, quote, public interest. What is your reaction to that?

[Andrew Lennox]

So, yeah, that's the exact language that was on the termination notification. It's my reaction. At first it was surprise, disbelief. And I mean, this morning as I packed up my office, it's anger, you know, because it's a, you know, my, I was terminated for my performance. I haven't even had a performance review. Nobody consulted any, you know, any supervisors or even the director of our hospital before making these terminations.

[Chelsea Milburn]

So tell me about your job and why you wanted to work at the VA.

[Andrew Lennox]

Yeah, so I spent 10 years in the Marine Corps. I loved it. Greatest job I ever had. And I made the decision transition into the civilian world. And for a little bit, I, I worked in civilian jobs. I was at a pharmaceutical company for a little bit and they sent me to a military friendly employers conference. And I ended up sharing a table with some Veterans affairs social workers. There's a Marine Corps vet and he was telling me about the work he does and like looking at that group of people and the organizations that get back to, you know, veterans, I made the decision that is what I want to do. I want to continue serving my country. And I thought there'd be no better way than helping, you know, veterans, you know, my family, the people you know, that, you know, gave me so much I'd like to give back. And my role there is an administrative officer for a primary care department of the hospital. So it's a lot of behind the scenes stuff. It's kind of eliminating the red tape and friction that just comes into healthcare as far as like scheduling doctors, the patients, making sure wait times are short, you know, scheduling vacation pay, ordering equipment, all these things that we try and take the administrative burden off of the doctors and the nurses. And the care providers to get veterans treated, you know, as quickly and effectively as possible.

[Unknown Host]

Here is another fired army veteran speaking out about the federal layoffs. Let's play it.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Well, joining us tonight is Nelson Feliz Sr. A 30 year army veteran who served as a first sergeant and spent more than a decade working for the Department of Veteran affairs until he got a notice that he was being let go just a week ago. Nelson, thanks for joining us tonight. I'm sorry about the difficult situation that you're in right now. Tell us, what type of work did you do for the va?

[Unknown Interviewee]

So I started back in Florida doing MSA work. Now I work was working in a hospital doing background investigation for the va, VHA and fingerprinting folks that were newly hired.

[Unknown Interviewer]

I gotcha. Yeah. Important work. I'm sure you enjoyed doing it, doing it for 10 years. I know you wrote a letter appealing your termination. Tell us about it. How did you find out you were being let go and what reason were you given?

[Unknown Interviewee]

Well, I didn't find out because my normal work hours were that during the week. So Friday I was off. So they were calling me, but I had my phone on vibrate, was Valentine's Day and, you know, little family time. And then I got a phone call from one of my co workers and told me, hey, you need to look at your email and see what's up. So then I found out that at 7pm they sent me a letter saying that I was terminated. And that just.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Yeah, shocking, I'm sure, to see that. Did they say it was for performance or did they give you any type of reason or did they just say you're out?

[Unknown Interviewee]

They just took it random. And everybody that they send this letter to said it was performance. But there's a form called 0750 that will show that that was incorrect. Plus I had tenure.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah. You know, and a lot of veterans, they end up working at. It shouldn't surprise you at the Veterans Department and Veterans affairs, which is just getting absolutely gutted. There could be about 50, 60, 70,000 veterans who are going to be losing their job based on what the Trump administration is doing. Each with a story like the one I just shared with you.

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[Unknown Host]

As I said at the beginning, I wanted to share with you a video of a Trump supporter and here's what this Trump supporter I don't know how the other people voted in the beginning of this video, but this is a Trump supporter. Right here is a FEMA civil servant and disabled military veteran voted for Trump. Now he's out of a job. American veteran fired from FEMA told wtop, quote I voted for Donald Trump, but this is not what I was expecting. We didn't think they were going to take a change saw to a silk rug. The man said he was a Trump voter. He was fired by a White House official and said in TV interviews. That contradicts what White House officials have said, that these are like far left people. He was dismissed as part of a widespread purge. Yet the form email reads, quote, the agency finds based on your performance that you have not demonstrated that your further employment at the agency would be in the public interest. The government blames his firing on him. WTOP says it reviewed his positive evaluations as a leader. The man and his wife accepted that the US Needs to save money, but assume that as a veteran of long service, he would have been safe. They're calling their reps in Congress. They thought it wasn't going to happen to them. This nastiness, this devastation would just happen to others. We tried to warn you that it was going to happen to you and it's going to happen to others if you don't stand up. Look, Americans are pissed right now. US Consumer sentiment is plunging. Trump's approval ratings are plunging. The University of Michigan's latest consumer survey shows American sentiment declines in February for the second consecutive month. And it was a double digit decline from the month before. Inflation already surging. And to that comment from the Trump supporter who said he didn't think that they would take a chainsaw to a silk rug. May I show you this video of Elon Musk at cpac? Here, play this clip. This is the chainsaw for bureaucracy, trade. So. Or how about Stephen Miller blaming you, Blaming our hardworking veterans and federal workers as well. Just federal workers in general who work every day for our government. You know, they're not seeking attention on social media. They're not out there seeking the limelight like Trump and these Magas. They're out there working hard, chopping wood every day to make sure that you and I and others in this country are safe and secure. And then you have Stephen Miller saying things like that. Horrible. And here is Donald Trump's National Economic Council director, Kevin Hassett, and he said he basically blames that these federal workers were bad workers is what he says. And he mocks them. And he basically says, oh, I guess people who get fired never say they perform bad. Right? Here, play this clip.

[Nelson Feliz Sr.]

Being told by a lot of people who have been let go at other.

[Chelsea Milburn]

Agencies that they were told they were being dismissed because of poor performance, when.

[Nelson Feliz Sr.]

In some cases they haven't even had.

[Chelsea Milburn]

A performance review yet because they've only been on the job a couple of months.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Yeah, I've never seen a person who.

[Unknown Host]

Was laid off for poor performance say that they were performing poorly. Okay, good point.

[Andrew Lennox]

Sure.

[Unknown Host]

Caitlin, just so you See as well. I'll leave you with this. There are other programs that they're cutting. They're cutting jobs at the Veterans affairs crisis hotline that deals with suicidal veterans who are calling and need help or in, or in crisis. They're making cuts there. They're making cuts to 911 first responders. Here, play this clip. The 911 health program taking a heavy hit from the Department of Government Efficiency. The fund provides health care for thousands of first responders and civilians. While new staff reductions could put lives at risk, John Mueller has a closer look.

[Unknown Reporter]

More than 137,000 people are enrolled in the 911 health program.

[Unknown Host]

First responders and everyday New Yorkers exposed to the toxic dust battling health ailments and cancers the program could created to.

[Unknown Reporter]

Keep them alive is now the latest.

[Unknown Host]

Target of budget cuts under Elon Musk and Doge. It's repulsive. It's, it's, it's reckless. You know, no wonder that we're seeing Republican voters as well show up at town halls being held by Republican members of Congress. Democrats, Republicans, independents are pissed at what Trump and Musk are doing to our veterans, to our hard working government workers who have worked every day to keep us safe as well. They're trying to take away your Medicaid and Medicare and they're going after your Social Security. And what about just privacy? Privacy, right. We all value our privacy. Why are they trying to tell us that Elon Musk and billionaires get to go into our bank accounts, get to have our tax records, get to look at our medical records, get access to our Social Security information, get access to all of the private data about our families. Why, why are we, why do they get that? And then Trump and Elon Musk and J.D. vance and these right wing media networks, they want to tell us, oh, because these people are so rich they would never do anything bad with it. Come on, what are we talking about here? That's not America. We should not be okay with that regardless of political party. So stand up and make your voice heard, okay? We're in this together. And my heart goes out to all of those veterans, disabled veterans who I showed you in this video who lost their jobs but also whose dignity was attacked as well. And that's an attack on the dignity, I think, of all veterans and all hard working government workers. All government workers. Thanks for watching. Hit subscribe. Help us get to 5 million subscribers. Thank you.

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