One of the most significant moments of my personal and working life was when I received my official job offer from the U.S. Department of Transportation. After years of studying public policy — and months of not having a job — I was finally getting my foot in the door of public service. I packed up my life, moved to Washington, D.C. and prepared to begin my career in government. Then, on the day I received the keys to my apartment, the job offer was rescinded before I could even start. The reason? President Donald Trump’s “hiring freeze” executive order.
The decision wasn’t just abrupt—it unraveled months of effort. I applied for the position on Sept. 30, interviewed on Nov. 26, and received my tentative offer on Dec. 18. After completing my background check on Jan. 13, I quickly made minor corrections when it was returned to me on Jan. 16, despite being in the hospital that day. Then, I waited. A week passed with no updates. Finally, on Jan. 23—the same day I officially moved into my new D.C. home—I was informed that my offer was revoked. In the span of a few hours, I went from starting my career in public service to being left with nothing.
I am not alone in this. Across the country, countless young professionals, students and recent graduates have also been blindsided by these policies. Signed on Inauguration Day, which also happened to be a federal holiday, the unprecedented order superseded any opportunity to finalize my onboarding. These executive orders have not only disrupted lives but have also weakened the very institutions that ensure a functional government. Watching the aftermath of these orders has been a rollercoaster of emotions. Initially, I was inconsolable. Now, I am asking myself: If something like this can happen so easily, did I actually dodge a bullet?
The fallout of a hiring freeze
Trump’s executive order effectively stopped many federal agencies from hiring while simultaneously encouraging current employees to quit. Agencies already struggling with vacancies and staff shortages were forced to withdraw job offers. In my case, I had already relocated — investing time, money and effort into a move that I believed would be the first step in a meaningful career. Instead, I was left without a job, with no immediate prospects, and with mounting expenses in one of the most expensive cities in the country. What makes this situation even more frustrating is that the hiring freeze does nothing to address the problems it claims to fix. It does not reduce government inefficiency, nor does it improve the economy. Instead, it locks out the next generation of public servants while this administration works backward to solve a problem they are now exacerbating.
What is happening now is not reform; it is sabotage. The Trump administration is not just freezing hiring — they are actively working to remove employees and then eliminating those positions entirely. This isn’t just about cutting DEI programs — although I am not sure how much bureaucracy can materialize from programs that were created within the last few years — it’s about cutting everything. Regulatory enforcement, public safety, environmental protection and economic oversight are all on the chopping block. The effects won’t be contained to the federal government. When federal agencies can’t operate, state governments, nonprofits and local organizations that rely on federal funding and guidance are left scrambling.
The cost of losing a generation of public servants
The United States is already facing a federal workforce crisis. According to the Office of Personnel Management, nearly a third of federal employees are eligible for retirement in the next five years. Instead of replenishing this workforce with fresh talent, President Trump’s hiring freeze is actively deterring new professionals from considering government work entirely. If this pattern continues, we will see a dramatic loss of institutional knowledge, weakened agencies, and, ultimately, a government that cannot function effectively.
My position at the DOT was with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an agency responsible for ensuring the safety of the nation’s roads in a country that is one of the largest by landmass and one of the most dependent on highway travel. Given how outspoken people are about sustainable development in infrastructure, how is this not essential work? Am I really supposed to accept that my department was so consumed by burdensome regulations that any knowledge and experience I hoped to gain would not be realized? I pursued public service because I believe in making a difference. I wanted to contribute to policies that improve transportation infrastructure, enhance accessibility and ensure sustainability. Now, I am left wondering whether my aspirations have any place in the federal government at all.
What needs to happen next
This hiring freeze must be challenged — not just for those of us who have already suffered its consequences but for the future of governance itself. Lawmakers, civil servants and advocacy groups must oppose these executive orders and demand that hiring processes remain fair, open and based on merit. More importantly, we need a long-term solution that prevents future administrations from using the federal workforce as a political pawn.
Those of us who have already been affected are left picking up the pieces. Many, like myself, are now scrambling to find jobs in a city we moved to under the promise of stable employment. The uncertainty is overwhelming, but my commitment to public service remains strong.
The question remains: Will our government allow us to serve?
Morgan Standley is a second year graduate student at Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs concentrating on community development and international policy.
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This article appears in Feb 5-18, 2025.