Amanda Aronchik

We don't actually know how many federal contractors there are. According to Elaine's estimates, there are 2.7 million individual contract workers. Some say more. And that is on top of the official federal employee numbers. And contract workers have been losing their jobs, too, when the Trump administration stopped paying some of its contracts.

We don't actually know how many federal contractors there are. According to Elaine's estimates, there are 2.7 million individual contract workers. Some say more. And that is on top of the official federal employee numbers. And contract workers have been losing their jobs, too, when the Trump administration stopped paying some of its contracts.

A lot of the goods we contract out for are for defense. We pay contractors to build aircraft carriers and to make socks for the military. And this kind of contract work, people generally think it makes the government more efficient. Like we don't need the federal government to make yellow legal pads for judges or to manufacture floor mats for when it rains. Right.

A lot of the goods we contract out for are for defense. We pay contractors to build aircraft carriers and to make socks for the military. And this kind of contract work, people generally think it makes the government more efficient. Like we don't need the federal government to make yellow legal pads for judges or to manufacture floor mats for when it rains. Right.

A lot of the goods we contract out for are for defense. We pay contractors to build aircraft carriers and to make socks for the military. And this kind of contract work, people generally think it makes the government more efficient. Like we don't need the federal government to make yellow legal pads for judges or to manufacture floor mats for when it rains. Right.

It's also things like cybersecurity experts, nuclear physicists, translators.

It's also things like cybersecurity experts, nuclear physicists, translators.

It's also things like cybersecurity experts, nuclear physicists, translators.

Elaine can appreciate at least the spirit behind what the Trump administration is trying to accomplish with all these cuts. But she says there's a process. Like when the government fires someone, Elaine says there has to be a reason like performance or, you know, we're getting rid of this whole division because we have email now. You can't just. blanket everyone who is probationary is fired.

Elaine can appreciate at least the spirit behind what the Trump administration is trying to accomplish with all these cuts. But she says there's a process. Like when the government fires someone, Elaine says there has to be a reason like performance or, you know, we're getting rid of this whole division because we have email now. You can't just. blanket everyone who is probationary is fired.

Elaine can appreciate at least the spirit behind what the Trump administration is trying to accomplish with all these cuts. But she says there's a process. Like when the government fires someone, Elaine says there has to be a reason like performance or, you know, we're getting rid of this whole division because we have email now. You can't just. blanket everyone who is probationary is fired.

Elaine says you have to do it piece by piece. And she says only each individual agency, like the Department of Defense, can fire its own employees, which the Trump administration has not been doing. That's why they've been getting pushback and lawsuits related to the firings. The White House Office of Personnel and Management mass fired probationary workers.

Elaine says you have to do it piece by piece. And she says only each individual agency, like the Department of Defense, can fire its own employees, which the Trump administration has not been doing. That's why they've been getting pushback and lawsuits related to the firings. The White House Office of Personnel and Management mass fired probationary workers.

Elaine says you have to do it piece by piece. And she says only each individual agency, like the Department of Defense, can fire its own employees, which the Trump administration has not been doing. That's why they've been getting pushback and lawsuits related to the firings. The White House Office of Personnel and Management mass fired probationary workers.

And a federal judge recently ruled that it did not have

And a federal judge recently ruled that it did not have

And a federal judge recently ruled that it did not have

The Trump administration has already tried to hire back a bunch of workers that were fired, like the people who work on the bird flu that is making egg prices so high right now, the people who work on the nuclear weapons programs.

The Trump administration has already tried to hire back a bunch of workers that were fired, like the people who work on the bird flu that is making egg prices so high right now, the people who work on the nuclear weapons programs.

The Trump administration has already tried to hire back a bunch of workers that were fired, like the people who work on the bird flu that is making egg prices so high right now, the people who work on the nuclear weapons programs.