It seems like everyone’s behind the Trump administration to scrutinize its policies and decision-making strategies—From lawyers, congressmen, online users, and Catholic bishops. With the American political scenario seeming like a wrestling ground with constant hits and misses, it’s hard to register so many changes in such a fast-paced timeline.
However, Trump is not here to slow down, and so are the people ready to hold him accountable for his slightest blunders. After all, who do we blame? Politics isn’t easy, and with power come significant responsibilities and threats. In recent news, Donald Trump’s policy of terminating employees from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has sparked intense backlash.
Sources reveal that on February 20, 2020, nearly 7,000 probationary employees at the IRS were notified of their termination due to “poor performance,” according to copies received by fired workers who shared them with ProPublica. However, the firings became a point of conflict when it came out that the IRS had not conducted any performance evaluations of these employees. Instead, these firings happened due to other factors.
Joseph Rillotta, a senior IRS lawyer, raised concerns over the language in the termination letters, which stated that the decision was based on performance assessments. He said the Trump administration is a “fraud” regarding this false move. Moreover, Rillotta said he would file a report with the IRS inspector general if the false claims were not addressed.
Rillotta repeatedly requested the language be changed so that people could know the real reason why so many people were terminated and left unemployed within a jiffy. However, despite his tireless efforts, those letters were sent out with intact, contested language.
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Michelle Bercovici, a lawyer representing federal workers, supported Joseph and told ProPublica, “When an agency acts based on false information, not only does it set the action up for being overturned,” she said. “It also means the agency is not going to have many defenses to its actions and could be liable for fees.”
Furthermore, the broader issue behind those letters was merely to reduce the workforce in federal agencies. Rillotta’s warning added to legal challenges, as multiple lawsuits were slammed against the administration. While the case is ongoing, several lawmakers have challenged the nature of these firings.
While some rule out firings as unjustified measures, others question the legality of mass termination, and a few federal judges have temporarily blocked it. These firings have occurred under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a new department led by Elon Musk.
Activist judge overreach pic.twitter.com/9psqLsm77r
— Brian Kennedy (@Brian_Kennedy) March 18, 2025
For now, DOGE is still in its formation stage, and the transition from the USDS has led to significant staffing changes. Yet, the escalating issue revolves around whether the IRS and other agencies acted correctly and whether the false reasons for firing these employees could result in the firings being overturned.
Meanwhile, several laid-off employees took to social media and voiced their frustrations and sadness. Moreover, these false claims about the recent firings could also be a tactic to recover legal fees from the government, which falls under DOGE’s aim of cost-cutting owing to increased inflation rates in the country. Therefore, it is important to keep in check the actions of the Trump administration, which could affect how these firings are handled in the future.
