Thousands of federal workers nationwide have been fired as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to reduce the size of the federal workforce. The firings have largely targeted probationary workers in their first year. But many fear more cuts are coming. Wyoming Public Radio’s reporters have been working to confirm what’s happening here in the state. (If you would like to share your own story, please fill out this anonymous form.)
WPR’s energy and natural resources reporter Caitlin Tan and Cody-based reporter Olivia Weitz help break things down with news director Kamila Kudelska.
Editor's Note: This story has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Kamila Kudelska: There have been a lot of numbers floating around about how many federal employees have been laid off. Before we get into what’s happening here in Wyoming, why are these numbers so hard to get? The caveat is this continues to be fast-moving news, so we’re talking about what we’ve been able to find as of February 21. Caitlin?
Caitlin Tan: It’s been hard to confirm anything. Instead of getting responses from our local forests and national parks, we’re being sent to D.C. offices that don’t always respond
Workers themselves even in supporting organizations that aren’t federal are scared to talk. We posted an anonymous form on our website asking folks to get in touch with how they’ve been affected. People are scared to even fill out our anonymous form. One source wouldn’t text me, he was scared of having a “paper trail.” He’d only do phone calls.
KK: Olivia, you spoke with someone who works for a partner organization for the National Park Service. What did she share?
Olivia Weitz: I spoke with Michelle Uberuaga with the National Parks Conservation Association, an advocacy group with 1.6 million members. She says she’s hearing seven full time Yellowstone National Park positions were cut. For context, Yellowstone employs about 308 full time year round workers.
Uberuaga declined to share how she’s learning these firing numbers. But, she says positions cut were within IT and the Yellowstone Center for Resources office. They deal with everything from archeological sites to monitoring for invasive aquatic species, and the wildlife division, among other departments.
Now, WPR could not independently verify Uberuaga’s numbers or the positions she mentioned. I sent an email to Yellowstone National Park and the National Park Service asking to confirm or update the numbers and types of positions, but as of press time have not heard a response.
KK: Ok, thank you. And Caitlin, you’ve been hearing from fired Forest Service employees?
CT: Yes. In Wyoming, I’ve heard from two fired employees from the Bridger-Teton National Forest that at least 40 people were cut in the first round of firings, that was up until Tuesday, Feb. 18. It may be more since then.
Presumably all eight forests and all the BLM offices in the state were affected, as the firings were targeted at probationary employees.These are mostly employees in their first year. But it could also be someone who, say, got a promotion with a new job title, who’s now again under a probationary period.
I’m hearing stories of people getting letters saying it's not in the public interest to keep you employed.
It took several emails to local and federal agencies to try to confirm what I’ve been hearing on and off the record. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which oversees the Forest Service, said in an email that 2,000 probationary workers had been laid off.
USDA email to WPR: Secretary Rollins fully supports the President’s directive to improve government, eliminate inefficiencies, and strengthen USDA’s many services to the American people. We have a solemn responsibility to be good stewards of the American people’s hard-earned taxpayer dollars and to ensure that every dollar spent goes to serve the people, not the bureaucracy.
As part of this effort, USDA has made the difficult decision to release about 2,000 probationary, non-firefighting employees from the Forest Service. To be clear, none of these individuals were operational firefighters. Released employees were probationary in status, many of whom were compensated by temporary IRA funding. It’s unfortunate that the Biden administration hired thousands of people with no plan in place to pay them long term. Secretary Rollins is committed to preserving essential safety positions and will ensure that critical services remain uninterrupted.
CT: But, I also spoke with Dennis Lapcewich with the Forest Service Council, a national union, and he said that 3,400 forest service workers across the nation were fired as of Valentine’s Day.
KK: I heard from Gov. Mark Gordon's office on Thursday that “without firm details or numbers, it's difficult to speculate on impacts.” But the Governor is sympathetic to all Wyomingites who have lost their jobs.
So what do these workers and organizations say is at stake with all these firings? Olivia let’s start with Yellowstone National Park.
OW: Uberuaga says that all of the Yellowstone positions that were cut are important to how the park functions.
Michelle Uberuaga: We lost folks from maintenance and facilities, and those are critical positions that make sure Yellowstone has infrastructure, clean water, wastewater treatment.
OW: At the current staffing levels, she says people are already performing additional duties.
MU: We're going to see potentially shorter visitor center hours, delayed openings, closed campgrounds. Maintenance needs will grow, trash will pile up, restrooms will go unclean, and worst case, public safety could be at risk.
KK: Caitlin?
CT: I spoke with Hilary Eisen with the Winter Wildlands Alliance, a national nonprofit that advocates for public lands. She called it a “tsunami” of impact. It's really unprecedented. People are still going to show up for vacation next summer.
Hilary Eisen: There will be no trail crew. There will be nobody to clean the outhouses, to pick up trash, to put out campfires so that they don't turn into giant wildfires. Like it's just mind boggling how stupid it is.
CT: She says last year, the Forest Service tried to transition a lot of seasonal workers into permanent positions.
HE: Which was an exciting thing, people had reliable employment. But they are technically in their probationary period – so they were all just fired.
KK: So there’s fear that basic public services, like trail maintenance and toilet cleanings, won’t get done because there’ll be no staff to do them. What have agencies or the Trump administration said to that, Olivia?
OW: I emailed the National Parks Service asking them to verify the number of firings at Yellowstone and which positions were impacted. I did not hear back by press time.
CT: The USDA says the forest service firings is an attempt to “better service American farmers, ranchers, loggers and the agriculture community.”
USDA email to WPR: Secretary Rollins fully supports President Trump’s directive to optimize government operations, eliminate inefficiencies, and strengthen USDA’s ability to better serve American farmers, ranchers, loggers and the agriculture community. We have a solemn responsibility to be good stewards of Americans’ hard-earned taxpayer dollars and to ensure that every dollar is being spent as effectively as possible to serve the people, not the bureaucracy.
As part of this effort, USDA has released individuals in their probationary period of employment. We are confident that talented individuals who have been affected by this change will have many opportunities to contribute to our economy and society in countless ways outside of government.
CT: But Eisen with Winter Wildlands says some of those people cut oversee permits and contracts farmers, ranchers and loggers need.
HE: They're going to have less time to devote to working with the local rancher on his grazing permit.
CT: The USDA also said that none of the firings were operational firefighters. But, I’ve heard from sources that’s not quite the case. A lot of forest service workers in other jobs still have their “red card” certifications, which allows them to fight fire. Here’s Forest Service Council’s Dennis Lapcewich again.
Dennis Lapcewich: They're being fired, so we are losing wildland firefighters right and left, and they're not going to be here come this fire season.
CT: I’ve also heard some of the workers cut were in fuels reduction positions meant to help prevent out-of-control blazes.
KK: I emailed several of Wyoming’s top elected officials to get a sense of what they make of this moment. Both Sen. Cynthia Lummis and John Barrasso replied saying they fully support Pres. Trump and DOGE’s effort to reduce federal spending. But both said they will work to make sure programs critical in Wyoming, national parks and federal lands are protected. Barrasso said he’s committed to making sure any communities in Wyoming impacted by proposed cuts, including our university and community colleges, have a seat at that table.
Rep. Harriet Hageman said the administration’s efforts will provide long term financial relief and benefit for all Wyomingites.
Here’s their full statements:
John Barrasso: President Trump is right to rein in wasteful Washington spending across the board. DOGE has already identified billions of dollars in wasteful spending. We need to take a good look at how much of this spending is at the expense of the American taxpayer.
At the same time, we are working with the administration to make sure key programs, basic government functions, and public safety are not compromised. I’m committed to making sure any communities in Wyoming impacted by proposed cuts, including our university and community colleges, have a seat at the table. I’ve made sure the administration understands how important it is to keep our national parks, forests and federal lands adequately staffed. And I’m working with the USDA to protect our brave wildland firefighters who put their lives on the line to protect Wyoming and the West.
Cynthia Lummis: I fully support President Trump's effort to ferret out the reckless and wasteful spending that has infected our government. Wyoming taxpayers work hard for their money and they deserve to know that their government respects their tax dollars and is utilizing them in a responsible manner. I will continue to work with the Trump administration to ensure that we protect programs critical to Wyoming, our national parks and federal lands, and our amazing workers.
Harriet Hageman: Under the bloated Biden Administration, we saw federal agencies and departments create jobs with temporary funding, award grants and contracts for “services” the federal government has no business being involved in, and billions and billions of dollars shoved out the door in the final two months. President Trump’s efforts at rightsizing the federal government will provide long term financial relief and benefit for all Wyomingites.
KK: Olivia, Caitlin, any last thoughts?
OW: Everyone we’ve talked to is expecting more cuts.
CT: I do want to point out that this is impacting other areas in the state like research, grants, Veterans Affairs and others.
KK: We’ll have more reporting on that as we learn more. That was WPR’s Caitlin Tan and Olivia Weitz reporting on what we know about how the federal firings are impacting Wyomingites.
