Democratic lawmakers, protesters gather to ‘evict DOGE’ after spending cuts

Democratic lawmakers and protesters gathered outside what they described as the “ground zero” for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to oppose recent spending cuts by the newly formed cost-cutting department. The protest took place outside the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) ahead of President Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and representatives Don Beyer, D-Va.; Kweisi Mfume, D-Md.; Glenn Ivey, D-Md.; and Johnny Olszewski Jr., D-Md., were among the Democratic lawmakers who attended the protest. Some of them revealed that they would not be attending Trump’s speech later that evening.

“This is ground zero. This is where Elon Musk and DOGE have taken up shop,” Olszewski said at the protest. He emphasized that the fight against the cost-cutting initiatives was happening at OPM, an agency that is supposed to have a diverse workforce based on merit.

Protesters at the event held signs that read “Evict DOGE from OPM now,” “Federal employees are taxpayers too,” and “We all deserve better.” Mfume, speaking at the protest, called the cost-cutting initiative “anti-American,” stating that it was causing job losses and dismantling departments within the federal government.

One protester, Cecilia, shared her experience of losing her job at OPM, saying she received an email overnight informing her that she had to pack up and leave. She had dedicated over 16 years of federal work to the agency and was part of a department that was dismantled.

Despite the protests, the White House remained firm in its determination to continue the cost-cutting efforts. Harrison Fields, special assistant to the president and principal deputy press secretary, stated that the administration would not be swayed by the demonstrations and remained committed to making the federal government more efficient and accountable to taxpayers.

During his joint address to Congress, President Trump highlighted DOGE’s work in cutting costs, emphasizing the elimination of wasteful spending. He credited the department, led by Elon Musk and a group of young individuals, with uncovering hundreds of billions of dollars in fraud.

While some Democrats chose to skip the president’s speech in protest, Trump reiterated his commitment to rooting out fraud and inefficiency within the government. The administration’s efforts to streamline operations and cut costs were a key focus of the address.

The protests outside OPM served as a platform for dissent against the budget cuts and job losses resulting from the cost-cutting measures implemented by DOGE. Despite the opposition, the administration remained steadfast in its mission to improve government efficiency and accountability.