Government Employee Union Chief Claims Idea Federal Government is “Too Big” is Misinformation

The national president of the American Federation of Government Employees, Everett Kelley, claims the idea that the federal government is “too big” is misinformation. His comments come amid a legal battle over mass firings of probationary federal workers.

Key Facts:

Everett Kelley called the claim that the government is too large “misinformation” during an appearance on CNN.
He stated that the federal workforce has not grown since the 1970s despite a much larger U.S. population.
Kelley’s union helped sue the Trump administration over the firing of thousands of probationary government employees.
He has been critical of Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) for pushing spending and workforce reductions.
A recent CBS/YouGov poll found 54% of Americans support Musk and DOGE having some influence over government spending and operations.

The Rest of The Story:

Everett Kelley defended the size of the federal government during an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, dismissing concerns that it has grown excessively.

His remarks came after a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to reinstate thousands of recently fired probationary employees.

Kelley insisted the number of federal workers has remained unchanged for decades, despite the U.S. population growing significantly.

His union played a key role in the lawsuit challenging the dismissals.

Kelley has also targeted Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency for advocating job cuts and accountability measures.

In February, he condemned Musk’s demand that employees justify their work each week, calling it disrespectful to civil servants, particularly veterans.

However, polling suggests DOGE is very popular with the public.

Commentary:

Everett Kelley’s job is to defend government workers, but claiming the federal workforce hasn’t expanded since the 1970s stretches credibility.

Anyone who has dealt with bloated agencies, redundant regulations, and endless bureaucratic hurdles knows otherwise.

If Kelley has hard data to prove his claim, he should present it.

The reality is that government employment has grown, particularly at the state and local levels.

Every new agency, every expansion of federal programs, and every regulatory mandate increases the burden on taxpayers.

Suggesting that every government job is essential is absurd.

Waste and redundancy are well-documented, and even Democrats once acknowledged the problem.

The pushback against accountability measures—like simply asking employees to justify their workload—shows just how resistant some bureaucrats are to reform.

If Kelley truly wants to serve public employees, he should focus on making government more efficient, not defending the status quo at all costs.

The Bottom Line:

Kelley’s claim that the federal workforce hasn’t grown in decades contradicts common sense.

Americans are right to question whether all of these jobs are necessary, and polling suggests many want reforms.

If government unions refuse to acknowledge inefficiencies, public frustration will only grow.