Trump's Federal Agency Layoffs Raise Safety Concerns

The Trump administration is conducting significant layoffs across federal agencies, affecting over 300 U.S. Forest Service workers in Montana, 3,400 Forest Service jobs, and 1,000 National Park Service jobs nationwide, leading to park closures and reduced services. The layoffs also extend to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), with hundreds of probationary employees terminated, raising concerns over aviation safety following a deadly crash near Washington, D.C. Unions and former officials express concern about the potential degradation of public safety standards due to these staffing reductions. The federal government has imposed a hiring freeze and offered buyouts to streamline its workforce, with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy asserting that critical safety personnel were not among those let go. Despite the administration's defense of these cuts as part of a broader effort to reduce federal spending, there is widespread criticism concerning the impact on public lands and aviation infrastructure.