1. United States
2. Alaska
3. Letter

I write to you today with grave concern regarding President Donald J. Trump’s latest executive order targeting federal workers in their probationary periods. This reckless and politically motivated directive not only undermines the foundational principles of our civil service system but also violates established law. If left unchecked, it will severely damage the impartiality, stability, and professionalism of our federal workforce. This executive order aims to fast-track the dismissal of federal employees before they have the opportunity to demonstrate their performance or defend themselves essentially turning probationary status into a political weapon. It bypasses the long-standing merit-based protections that have been in place since the Pendleton Act of 1883. By doing so, it invites a purge of career public servants based on political whims, not qualifications or conduct. It opens the door to a loyalty test for federal employment, which is as un-American as it is dangerous. The courts have already spoken. In a pointed rebuke, U.S. District Judge William Alsup ruled that the Office of Personnel Management lacks the legal authority to issue directives that lead to mass firings across federal agencies. He wrote that the OPM “does not have any authority whatsoever under any statute in the history of the universe to hire and fire employees at another agency.” That language should make it crystal clear that what the Trump administration is doing is not just unethical but unlawful. In the name of “efficiency,” thousands of federal employees have been dismissed under standardized termination notices that falsely cite performance issues. The truth, as uncovered by whistleblowers and union leaders, is that these terminations were often politically motivated and ordered en masse, with zero regard for due process or fairness. The chilling effect on morale, professionalism, and good governance is immediate and devastating. Congress must not allow this to stand. I urge you to investigate this executive order and the abuses that have already occurred under its authority. Take legislative action to reassert the protections guaranteed to civil servants and ensure that the executive branch cannot weaponize employment decisions for political gain. Our democracy depends on a professional, nonpartisan civil service. We cannot afford to let that be eroded for the sake of one man’s political vendetta.