Last year, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency took a chainsaw to the federal government, slashing jobs and cutting programs in the name of eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse. While it did not reduce spending, current and former government officials tell CNN that some of the cuts are hampering government readiness amid the Iran war. Now, the government is looking to ramp up hiring again – but only with workers who align with the Trump administration’s priorities. We hear from a former federal worker about how last year’s cuts impacted her, and from an expert who says he's concerned about adding more political appointees to the mix.
For more: ‘A shell of our former self’: How Trump and Musk’s spending cuts are hampering US government readiness amid the Iran war
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Guests: Melissa Patsalides & Max Stier, Partnership for Public Service President and CEO
Host: David Rind
Producer: Paola Ortiz
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Editorial Support: Tami Luhby
Photo: Allison Robbert/AFP/Getty Images
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