Why these federal workers regret voting for Trump: 'This is not The Apprentice'

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Business Insider

Mar 16, 2025, 4:05 AM ET


David Pasquino voted for President Donald Trump. Then, the new administration fired him. The former Veterans Affairs employee told Business Insider that while he still supports aspects of the Trump administration he finds many of the president's actions problematic. In particular, he supports the president's approach to border enforcement and his plans to increase the size of the military. He's not a fan of the Elon Musk-led firing of thousands of federal workers.

"They are literally taking a chainsaw to the government when they should be using a scalpel," Pasquino said. "This is not what I imagined when President Trump stated that he was going to change the government and make the government more efficient."

BI spoke to 10 current and former federal workers, offering some anonymity to speak freely without retribution. Some who are still employed said they voted for Trump with the hopes that he would deliver on his campaign promises, but the constant threats to their careers and villainizing of their coworkers have led them to regret it.

"I feel betrayed. This is not what I wanted, to let everybody lose their job," a Veterans Affairs employee who voted for Trump twice told BI. "You're fired. You're fired. You're fired. This is not 'The Apprentice.'"

Read more: https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-voting-federal-workers-regret-votes-wanted-lower-prices-firings-2025-3

---

You were warned.

[XanaDUer2]

1. Guess it is

Moron

[NotHardly]

59. FAFO... remember, "it's small club and you aren't in it"

[bottomofthehill]

2. He is doing what he said he would do

Yet some of these people are shocked….so, we all suffer because many thought it would be fun to round brown people up like cattle and drive them back across the border. Fucking dopes.

[travelingthrulife]

4. Yup, and they refused to believe data that said the borders were nowhere near the problem

Faux News said it was. All those border guards we have now (official and unofficial) just sitting there waiting for a migrant to pass by.

[LSparkle]

22. If they still have jobs ...

Have we heard about cuts to CBP? Has The Chainsaw Gang made a visit to that agency yet?

[Attilatheblond]

78. Thousands of active duty military have arrived at the local Army Fort here in the Borderlands

More on the way. Not sure what they are gonna be doing or even how this tiny fort will house/feed them all. But I am a bit concerned about all my US citizen activists pals around here.

Oh, and no hospital on Post. Only one in town and another 30 miles away. Hope none of the soldiers get hurt while they are here.

[Shermann]

67. Trump can be shadowy around his motivations, but he's been mostly transparent about his actual plans. nt

[AkFemDem]

3. Im not going to shame or shout down anyone...

Who will admit they voted for him and regret it- I WANT them to keep speaking out, getting media headlines, making the republicans in congress sweat.

Whatever my personal opinions of anyone who voted for him, it's more important their voices of opposition be heard now than my ego be sated with well placed "I told you so"s.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. "it's more important their voices of opposition be heard now"

Don't expect that to last. It will be harder and harder to find the "testimonials", as much of the media, and nearly ALL of the "corporate/for-profit" media, have been co-opted, and will eventually suppress this - either on their own volition or by threat of force.

[travelingthrulife]

6. It's an awful lot of crow to eat.

I hope that people like this can begin to ask themselves why kicking other people around is worth so much to them.

[dutch777]

9. What wine is the proper pairing with crow? I might invest in it as crow seems to be rising as a called for dish. Good!

[LittleGirl]

49. ha ha ha. Thanks for the snicker. nt

[InstantGratification]

52. I would imagine some Thunderbird or MD20/20 would fill the bill....

[JohnSJ]

19. That is fine, except how much credibility do they really have? Trump made no secret that he was a racist, sexist, and

bigot, twice impeached for abuse of power, who incited an insurrection to overthrow the government, and in spite of all that and more, they had no problem voting for him for a second term in the WH.

The sincerity of these folks is questionable, and more likely to do only with their loss of their jobs.

[displacedvermoter]

33. Astonishingly ignorant of reality

The VA people who voted for Trump should well be ashamed. His opinions of the members of the military, and his revulsion at the very sight of wounded Vets, his scorn of McCain and attacks on a Gold Star family, should have been a pretty clear warning on how the VA -- and their own job security -- might well fare under Trump.

These folks had much more on their minds than government efficiency and a fairer trade balance when they voted for this racist clown.

[JohnSJ]

43. Excellent point, and that was not hidden information either.

[Skittles]

81. CADET BONESPURS

they voted for CADET BONESPURS

[AkFemDem]

45. I dont care about their motives

I want their *voices*. Those of us who are in whatever layer of Dantes inferno we're currently in, in the federal and federal adjacent world are ALL concerned about how we will feed our families and it's paramount voices be heard from across the federal and contracting worlds.

There's a reason there's been a concerted effort on the part of federal unions to get the word out about impacted veterans, for example. Because republican politicians care about republican votes, and they know the demographics as much as anyone else.

[durablend]

39. They're never voting for us if that's your angle of thought

Most of them would eat shit or vote for Trump again (or both) before they'd ever vote for a Democrat.

[AkFemDem]

44. I don't care. Not the point.

The point is if people don't feel "safe" sharing their "I voted for him and he sucks" stories in the media right now, then it sounds like a bunch of democrats complaining- and republicans take note of that as they vote on various bills. They care about rocking the boat with their own base, not about whether people who will never vote for them anyway are unhappy. Every single political creature, republican or democrat, cares first and foremost about being reelected. It is *everything*, about patriotism, above morality, above doing the right thing, even above getting $ doing it.

Those of us in the federal sector want and need these voices and stories out there. We NEED republicans in congress to say, "oh hey, shit, now OUR voters are mad, we better put some breaks on this express!" While it may feel good to just say, "well haha, leopard ate your face, what did you expect?". it doesn't accomplish nearly as much as those voices being heard can.

[hamsterjill]

51. This is EXACTLY right.

Democrats will do well NOT to forget that aspect of this.

If they want to speak out - good deal. Let them. But just like the threads here a week or so ago commenting that Amy Coney Barrett had "turned", do not be fooled by these people. They only care that something happened to THEM and they didn't care one shit if it happened to SOMEONE ELSE.

Take the bones that they throw up that help our cause in any way, smile, and say thank you - but NEVER FORGET who these people are, or what they would do to us had they the opportunity.

Stay vigilant.

[iemanja]

77. I think there is a very good chance you are wrong

The fact is they are primed to vote for Democrats in the next election. Losing one's job changes things.

There are many voters who went from Biden to Trump and Obama to Trump. Why shouldn't they switch in the future? Yet you are adamant they should continue to vote Republican rather than going back to voting for Democrats. Your wishes do not foretell the future.

[Baron2024]

74. Former Trumpers

We should honestly welcome anyone that is a former Trumper. If we could get 5 percent or 10 percent of the Trump voters, we would probably win back a lot of seats. I know that a lot of these people are jerks, but if they stop supporting Trump and his gang, that is good for us. So yeah, maybe mock them a bit online, but we should accept their votes. I love the idea that Congressional Republicans are afraid of some of their own people now. Politicians in government should fear the people.

[Skittles]

75. alrighty then, they can thoroughly DISGRACE America

but don't call them OUT on it, that's over the top!

[Blues Heron]

7. Some people learn the hard way. Bottom line, VA employee Pasquino voted for an inveterate liar and a 34 X Felon

[displacedvermoter]

48. Who thinks military personnel in general

and wounded and dead soldiers, sailors, and airmen in particular are suckers.

[lostnfound]

8. Once again the media STILL gives 10x the voice to the dumbasses. Let's hear anger of liberal colleagues

Yes, i understand why this is important, the FAFO progress clock (which was F’ING INEVITABLE and TOTALLY FORESEEABLE to the literate among us).

But damn the voices of the people in New York or California or this man’s liberal laid off colleagues? They are just never newsworthy? If they say “I voted for Kamala Harris so that this WOULDN’T happen, but dumbass Mr. Pasquino has caused ME to lose MY job too” — is that not worth some ink??

[benfranklin1776]

14. This 👆👆👆

A thousand times this! So every time we see a story like this we need to contact the author and their editor and make this very demand! They are portraying a skewed picture as I want to hear from the many federal workers who didn’t vote for the felon precisely because they wanted to avoid harm to the people they took an oath to serve all people. ✊🏼

[BumRushDaShow]

18. The media thinks we are "paid protestors"

In this case, THEY know how we feel. We spent over a $billion warning them (and then they turn around and excoriate Harris/Walz asking "what was done with the money????" ).

There are STILL alot of MAGats who do NOT work for the federal government who continue to cheer this on, including many who say - "give it some time", or "I'll give him a year".

So there is definitely FAFO reporting that needs to happen because MOST of the reporting has been nothing but "reaching out to them to support their howling about their grievances AGAINST US".

[SWBTATTReg]

60. What you say is absolutely right. I hear far more of these idiot's voices vs. those of regular democrats, or liberals.

I'm sick and tired of the one-sidedness of those conversations, but I think it think mainly that this is because too many pro-tRUMP billionaires own these media outlets, so they force more media exposure on republicans (which is usually very positive in nature vs. negative articles on democrats if and when they ever run articles on democrats).

Citizens United seems to shape this / or fashion voter sentiment in some way, which if you ask me, a piece of legislation controlling or directing voter sentiment in some fashion seems wrong. It should be totally pure, w/ no bias and w/ this Citizen's United, there seems to be a definite bias.

[displacedvermoter]

62. A variation on the concerned citizens

they always find at some diner in Ohio or a NASCAR event in Alabama. The more ignorant and oblivious you are, the more likely CNN or USA Today is to stick a microphone in your face at a church supper in Idaho.

[sop]

10. "In particular, he supports the president's approach to border enforcement..."

Let's be clear, Pasquino voted for Trump because he wanted all brown-skinned immigrants rounded up and deported. That's it. It's the one issue he really cared about, and the reason he and most Trump supporters voted for him.

If one believed in karma, one might conclude these people are now being punished for their hatred and racism.

[JohnSJ]

15. Thank-you. That is why I have no sympathy for these jackasses. They knowingly voted for a racist, bigot, and sexist,

and claiming they didn't know is bull.

trump never hid who he was and what he was going to do, and to make mater worse they gave the sociopath a second chance.

Four years previously in the WH, a million people dead because of mishandling a pandemic, twice impeached because of abuses of power, a convicted sexual harasser, knowingly mishandling of classified information, etc., and inciting an insurrection against the government etc.

They knew exactly what they were voting for.

[Mountainguy]

58. Worried about being replaced by Immigrants....

So they voted for a guy that just wants to "liquidate" them instead.

[Justice matters.]

71. Except for the fact their dear convicted felon BLOCKED the bipartisan bill...

just before the election because he wanted the likes of Pasquino to vote for him.

[COL Mustard]

11. I hate when leopards eat the faces

Of people who voted for leopards to eat other people’s faces.

No, I don’t hate it at all. Karma’s a bitch sometimes.

[COL Mustard]

12. Some smart people need to start writing

Project 2029–an outline to restore American democracy

[UpInArms]

13. No paywall link

https://archive.ph/AbbcF

The National Weather Service employee said that they voted for Trump because they wanted the country to return to how things were in 2019. Instead, they said, "This is just the most toxic environment I've ever seen."

The employee described feeling "hoodwinked" by the president. During the campaign, this person said that they trusted Trump when he said he had nothing to do with Project 2025, the conservative blueprint authored by the Heritage Foundation. Among other things, Project 2025 described breaking up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which houses the National Weather Service.

Following the election, Trump nominated Russell Vought, a key architect of Project 2025, to lead the White House's Office of Management and Budget.

"I said, 'I'll believe Trump, he won't do everything in there,'" the National Weather Service worker said, "but then all of a sudden, everything is starting to come true."

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

24. "this person trusted Trump"

There is the problem in a nutshell. Just another brain-dead MAGAt who FAFO.

[tanyev]

26. WTH was good about 2019? Trump's first term was 3 years of chaos and misery even before Covid struck.

Three years of Trump proving over and over again that you cannot believe a word he says.

[Skittles]

79. more proof they are a cult

fucking delusional

[JI7]

16. So he likes it that Trump is deporting less people than Biden ?

But he likes it becsuse of the show being made with a few cases and the cruelty of it.

And increase the size of the military by looking for ways to remove minorities and women from it ? And this is a military that hss been struggling to get enough people to sign up for it. And this is a country where more than half the people are women ir minorities.

This man is a total dumbfuck and typical of right wingers that only have problem if they are directly affected.

[odins folly]

17. Zero sympathy

These folks got 100% of their news from the right wing echo chamber and even though they are regretting their vote because it has now impacted them, they will continue to get their news from the exact same source.

They will not change, change is too hard. Reading things is hard, looking beyond the bubble is hard and for vast swaths of people in this country, critical thinking is just way to fucking hard....

Ignorance is bliss, hatred is easy.... jeebus take the wheel, all is as gawd wills it. Not My Fault.

[Aristus]

20. "Still support..." Jesus Christ, you brain-dead ass-basket!

How fucking stupid are you?…

[JohnnyRingo]

21. They voted for Trump because they shared his hate list

They just didn't know they were in the fine print until they signed the contract.

[mwmisses4289]

23. Sympathy is in the dictionary, you twits.

If you even know what the hell a dictionary is.
You were told, you did the equivalent of a stupid child putting fingers in the ears and going la-la-la and saying I can't hear you. Well, you got what you voted for. As I keep saying, and will keep saying, too bad you're taking the rest of us with you and making us pay for your stupidity.

[Martin Eden]

25. Any voter who didn't know Trump is a pathological liar is an idiot

Anyone who ignored or forgave his J6 treasonous assault on our nation's Capitol has no regard for our Constitutional rule of law.

If only the leopards of fascism could target only those who set them loose.

[PSPS]

27. LOL. "This is not what I imagined" is the most-repeated phrase by the "mentally challenged"

Kind of like chickens voting for Harlan Sanders

[Scrivener7]

28. You're an ass boil, David.

[cstanleytech]

29. Hmmm .......how best to respond 🤔

[orleans]

30. what i'm hearing from david is that despite the fact that he lost his ass b/c of trump, he still hates those

black and brown people and so does trump so...

way to go david

[dajoki]

31. Sure, now that their jobs are on the line...

they'll complain about that one thing that affects them personally but ignore or support all the other unconstitutional activities they are complicit with. I'm sick of reading about these idiots that knew what they were going to get when they voted for it, let's hear more from the people who didn't want this but had their lives upended by the stupidity of the magats.

[Gimpyknee]

32. Classic FAFO

These low informed ignorant voters screwed us. The Project 2025 Report was available free online. I read it. Trump is following it. These cultists believed him when he said he never heard of it.

[et tu]

34. who votes for hate

obviously all who voted for cf45-

[republianmushroom]

35. I do hope they are learning something from this.

Those that voted for the convicted felon I have no sympathy for. For those that did vote for the convicted felon, damn I'm sorry you are going thru this.

[Playingmantis]

36. Only when they feel personal pain will they change

The concepts of law and decency have no meaning for MAGAs..,whatever Trump does is fine with them BUT when they personally begin to suffer, then and only then will they change., ..

[Bengus81]

56. Yup...Hell the clown still supports most of Trumps agenda. He NOW doesn't like the

way SHIT went down ONLY because it cost him his job. Oh boy fucking hoo MAGOT.

[Vinca]

37. Boo freaking hoo. Why did they think the terror that is Trump would only affect the "libs?"

[Demobrat]

38. These stories are all the same.

I voted for him to hurt those other people. He wasn’t supposed to hurt ME ME ME.
And of course they all contain the line “I still support him but”.
Selfish assholes to the bitter end.

[BumRushDaShow]

42. "And of course they all contain the line 'I still support him but'. " -EXACTLY AND-

you see the GOPers in Congress saying the same damn thing - "We still support him for (fill in the blank draconian policy that doesn't impact them directly)... but".

COWARDS!

[pandr32]

40. "...should be using a scalpel" implies precision and skill.

Why oh why do any of his supporters believe he has the smarts to have skills? His ignorance has been on full display along with his face with orange make-up. Could they not see?

[Dave Bowman]

41. You voted for the whole package, pal. Enjoy.

[JustAnotherGen]

46. A hard head

And selfish heart make for a sore bottom.

[Bev54]

47. Exactly what campaign promises are they waiting on and voted for?

Seems to me he is doing what he promised so they voted for this. Sorry but I am having a difficult time feeling any empathy for them. They brought this on everyone.

[Cherrycheeks]

50. Republicon house and senate..

Need to be held responsible as well. 😡

[Beartracks]

53. As per usual with Republicans, they think warnings from Democrats are just hyperbole, because...

... the warnings come from Democrats. They've been trained thru constant media bombardment to avoid critical thinking and just reject criticism of Trump.

=======================

[dawgdan]

54. Too late now......

You got who and what you voted for. He told you what he was going to do way before the election. Trump always seeks revenge, it's just what he does.

[SamKnause]

55. Fuck you. Fuck your regret.

Those of us who didn't vote for trump have to live with the consequences.

Fuck you for voting for a racist.

Fuck you for voting for someone who takes aways women's rights.

Fuck you for voting for someone who supports Putin.

Fuck you for voting for someone who has abandoned Ukraine.

Fuck you for voting for someone who wants to destroy every aspect of our government !!!!

Fuck you for voting for someone who is a convicted felon.

Fuck you for voting for someone who pardoned all the J-6 convicts.

Fuck you for voting for someone who supports billionaires and will punish the poor.

There are too many examples of fuck you for voting for someone who etc.

I hope everyone who voted for the sick fuck gets double the pain.

You earned it, you voted for it, you deserve it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Deep State Witch]

57. Leopards Eating Faces

Those leopards are getting so fat they'll have to go on Ozempic!

[Ursus Rex]

61. How does someone that stupid get around in life?

How do they dress themselves, and put gas in their car?

I see people all the time like that, going about life as though they’re typically competent and fairly observant, and then you hear them say, and see them do, the absolute stupidest things and you wonder how is it possible to not see the most obvious things like “Trump is a lifelong habitual liar” and “they have never shown any inclination to do the thing you want them to do.”

[mgardener]

63. This guy

Is a dolt.
If everybody else lost their job and he did not, he would be fine with Trump
He literally voted for the Apprentice guy and then is upset when he loses his job.


He really is stupid. I have 0 sympathy for him.

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

83. Stupid and

a selfish asshole to boot.

[More_Cowbell]

64. "hopes that he would deliver on his campaign promises"

That's exactly what he's doing. They're idiots.

[Yellowdog-1966]

65. 2016 campaign promises

Some of them he passed.

Cutting regulations... Can't have regulations, all it does is cut into corporations profits.
Military spending... like they don't have enough
Reshaping the judiciary... Yesmen for Trump
Tax cuts...Says it helps little people, but big tax cuts for his Billionaires buddies

[LT Barclay]

66. If they voted republican after the Bush administration, they simply aren't smart enough to work in government.

Unforgivable.
I'm still angry that in the USCG, training on the Constitution of the United States was a one time thing.
Annually there was training on "rights". I thought at first "OK here we go, some real training", but it was rights of members, like employment type crap.
We are talking about a LAW ENFORCEMENT agency that has to deal with some difficult situations including life and death for the members and the public and they are going out there with little focus on the rights of the public. Training is on operations and tactics, so most of the guys doing the real work are clueless and easily swayed by institutional and personal prejudices.
I worked in oil and chemical response and I was appalled by how many decisions were being made based on false assumptions and work culture, not the CFR and Commandant's Instructions.
So that is why we have a federal work force that is so incredibly STUPID that they would vote for this POS.

Maybe that should be a bumpersticker POS not my POTUS

[Bluetus]

68. Federal workers don't count. but

I know some defense contractors who aren't very happy right about now.

[Cha]

69. How Could you be So Stupid! "In Hopes. Mump would do

Anything he said he would"... Do you Not Know his GD HISTORY/!!

[GoYouPackersGo]

70. Thoughts and prayers, losers

[Paladin]

72. Fuck 'em. (nt)

[bronxiteforever]

73. Promises made, promises kept

[kerouac2]

76. Ef 'em

Their only real regret is that they were caught in Trump's assault on the country. If not, they would be happy and a okay. Effed em.

[stoned]

80. What is is the clowns on the right used to say?

"Elections have consequences."

Guess they better get used to facing them.

[samsingh]

82. they only care because they are impacted