CNN 5 Things One Thing: After DOGE Cuts, The Government Is Hiring Again. Will Anyone Bite?
Mar 15, 2026
Max Stier, president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, warns about broad federal workforce cuts and politicized hiring. Melissa Patsalides, a former USAID career official, recounts losing her job and its programmatic ripple effects. They discuss rapid firings, operational gaps amid the Iran war, reclassification risks, and whether the government can recruit the right talent going forward.
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Career Exit And Gardening Pivot
- Melissa Patsalides left USAID after 22 years and now runs a gardening business as a coping pivot away from government work.
- She cited being placed on administrative leave, loss of server access, mental health strain, and family needs as reasons she won't return to USAID under this administration.
Doge Cuts Were Deep But Didn’t Reduce Spending
- Doge (Department of Government Efficiency) led rapid, widespread cuts across agencies from USAID to IRS, FAA, and national parks in the name of rooting out waste.
- Despite job cuts, federal spending rose in 2025 versus 2024 and experts warn of irreversible damage to global health and food programs.
Cuts Shifted Government Purpose And Morale
- Max Stier says the workforce suffered the largest arbitrary outflow in history, converting government purpose toward supporting private interests of the president.
- He links diminished capacity and morale to destructive leadership that sought to 'traumatize' bureaucrats.