Largest Government Employee Union Forced to Lay Off Over Half Its Staff Because of Trump Actions

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) announced it will lay off more than half its staff, blaming actions taken by former President Trump that targeted union funding and privileges.

Key Facts:

  • AFGE will cut its workforce from 355 employees to about 150, impacting offices nationwide.
  • The layoffs include more than 100 workers from the union president’s office alone.
  • AFGE represents 820,000 federal and Washington, D.C., government workers.
  • The union blames Trump’s elimination of automatic membership dues for the cuts.
  • AFGE has filed multiple lawsuits against the administration and helped form the “Rise Up” legal defense group for fired workers.

The Rest of The Story:

The American Federation of Government Employees confirmed that over 200 staff members would be laid off following changes to how union dues are collected.

Previously, dues were automatically deducted from federal employees’ paychecks, ensuring a steady stream of funding.

Trump’s executive order halted this practice, leading to immediate financial pressure on the union.

Despite the heavy cuts, AFGE leadership vowed to continue advocating for federal workers through legal challenges, lobbying efforts, and public campaigns.

The union remains part of broader efforts to legally support thousands of workers affected by Trump-era reforms, including the establishment of the “Rise Up” legal defense fund.

Commentary:

For years, public-sector unions like AFGE have thrived off guaranteed income streams extracted from taxpayer-funded salaries.

Unlike private-sector unions, which negotiate over company profits, government unions negotiate over taxpayer money—essentially setting up a system where both “management” and the union work together to drain public funds.

Ending automatic dues collection strikes at the heart of this corrupt model.

Without a guaranteed pipeline of money, unions must now actually earn their members’ support, much like organizations in the private sector.

It’s a step toward restoring fairness and accountability in government employment.

The outrage expressed by AFGE leadership is telling.

They view the loss of unearned dues as an “attack” rather than a correction of an unjust system.

By forcing unions to operate under voluntary membership, Trump’s actions empower individual workers instead of union bosses.

Government employee unions should never have been allowed to exist.

Their very structure pits them against the public interest.

Unlike businesses, governments don’t generate profits; they tax citizens.

Allowing unions to negotiate benefits simply results in ever-higher costs for taxpayers, with little incentive for efficiency or reform.

These layoffs are not a tragedy.

They are a necessary correction to a system that prioritized union power over public accountability.

The Bottom Line:

AFGE’s massive layoffs are a direct result of losing guaranteed funding through automatic dues.

The union’s outrage highlights how deeply it relied on taxpayer-backed paychecks rather than voluntary support.

Trump’s reforms brought needed disruption to a broken system, and these cuts should be seen as a step forward for government accountability.

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