Cuts are being implemented across the country. The Tampa Bay area is no exception.
President Donald Trump has pledged to eliminate waste from the federal budget, with the help of billionaire Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency.
So far, his administration’s approach has resulted in chaos and uncertainty for Florida’s federal workforce—and it may soon affect the federal benefits on which many Floridians rely.
However, because the cost of employing federal employees is a small fraction of federal spending—and many of the reported layoffs are still to come—Trump, Musk, and their companies have done little to reduce overall government spending. In February, federal spending increased by $36 billion compared to the previous year.
If you have been affected by government cuts, we want to hear from you! Get in touch with us here.
Here is a collection of Tampa Bay Times reporting on Trump, Musk, and DOGE thus far.
The DOGE effect on local federal workers
1. ‘What happens if we’re not there?’ Florida’s federal workers worry about Trump.
At least 32,000 federal employees reside in Tampa Bay. Many people are concerned about the possibility of massive federal layoffs, as we reported in February.
2. This scientist was preparing Florida beaches to withstand hurricanes. DOGE fired him.
Before Hurricane Helene, Michael Slattery was busy preparing Pinellas beaches with scientific instruments to measure the storms’ impact on the valuable sand. He claims that his job contributes to the preservation of some of Florida’s most important ecosystems. In February, he was fired.
3. These park rangers oversaw Florida’s sole manatee refuge. Then they got fired.
Hundreds of thousands of people visit the nation’s only manatee refuge. The federal government has just fired two of the refuge’s eight full-time employees.
The DOGE effect on local government services
1. ‘Bad things could happen’: Meteorologists lose jobs after historic hurricane season
Florida recently experienced one of its deadliest and costliest hurricane seasons. Local weather forecasters will now be working with fewer colleagues.
2. Billions in Tampa Bay hurricane relief funds are in limbo due to proposed HUD cuts.
Federal employees may be required to approve hundreds of millions in local hurricane relief grants. As we reported in February, the Trump administration intends to cut an agency central to that effort by up to 84%.
How local leaders are responding to DOGE
1. At a Florida Republican town hall, the public spoke. Will Washington listen?
We attended a February town hall where residents attempted to balance the federal budget. It was only an exercise, but their findings were insightful. What programs did they keep, and which did they eliminate?
2. Trump fired thousands of Social Security employees. This is how it affects Florida.
Accessing federal Social Security benefits has long been a nightmare for Floridians with disabilities. They wait months, if not years, for the money they need to survive. Advocates are concerned that Trump’s cuts to the federal Social Security office will result in an even longer wait.
3. Florida Democratic Congress members request that cuts to NOAA and NWS be reconsidered.
The federal government plans to lay off 10% of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration employees. That is the agency in charge of predicting hurricane tracks. Some Democrats have asked the Trump administration to reconsider.
“Florida is no stranger to the devastating impacts of hurricanes, and our communities depend on NOAA’s accurate and timely forecasting to make life-saving decisions,” the letter reads.
