Stansbury says Trump admin taking ‘fire sale approach’ to cut federal buildings

A recent hearing on reducing the federal real estate portfolio has sparked controversy, with Democrat Rep. Melanie Stansbury accusing the Trump administration of conducting a “fire sale” of federal properties. Stansbury, the ranking Democrat on the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) subcommittee, voiced concerns about the administration’s approach, claiming that it is stripping the government to pay for tax cuts.

The General Services Administration (GSA) is working with DOGE to “rightsize” the federal real estate portfolio and cut wasteful spending. According to the official DOGE website, GSA has been successful in producing savings across federal agencies by terminating leases and eliminating unused office space, resulting in approximately $400 million in taxpayer savings.

During the hearing, John Hart, CEO of Open the Books, testified that significant savings could be achieved by not renewing leases on government buildings set to expire in 2027. David Marroni, director of physical infrastructure at the U.S. Government Accountability Office, highlighted the inefficiencies in government agency headquarters’ footprints and emphasized the potential for substantial savings by reducing government workspaces.

However, Democrats at the hearing criticized President Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, who is leading the DOGE effort. Stansbury accused DOGE of being a front to support billionaires aiming to privatize public services. She raised concerns about Musk securing contracts across federal agencies, including the Department of Defense and NASA, and installing SpaceX’s Starlink Wi-Fi at federal agencies. Stansbury also claimed that Musk’s AI technology could potentially replace federal employees who have been recently terminated.

Despite the controversy, DOGE claims to have saved Americans $140 billion, or about $870 per taxpayer, according to their website. The efforts to streamline the federal real estate portfolio and cut wasteful spending continue to generate debate and scrutiny.

In conclusion, the hearing shed light on the complexities of managing federal real estate and the challenges of balancing cost-cutting measures with efficient government operations. The ongoing efforts of DOGE and GSA to optimize the federal real estate portfolio will continue to be a topic of discussion and scrutiny in the coming months.