EPA has stripped members of its powerful legal corps of civil service protections as part of President Donald Trump’s campaign to reshape the federal workforce.
Records obtained by POLITICO shed light on how many employees at the agency have been moved into a new job category created by the Trump administration, making their positions essentially “at will.” In total, 98 staffers so far have been reclassified as Schedule Policy/Career and now can be more easily fired from their career posts.
Trump’s new classification is one of several moves to downsize and realign the civil service toward his political goals. Former EPA officials said the new category will allow political leadership to better keep the agency’s staff in check — and in line with the president’s agenda.
“If they don’t play ball and do what the administration wants, the threat of being fired is there,” said Gary Jonesi, who served almost 40 years at EPA, including as a senior civil enforcement lawyer. “Basically, that’s the intimidation that is at the heart of this Schedule Policy/Career change.”
