Federal agencies are reeling from a flood of executive orders, termination notices, and a breakdown in communication, leaving employees feeling scared, betrayed, and uncertain about their future. The Trump administration's sweeping changes have created a climate of fear and paranoia, with workers wondering if they'll have a job tomorrow.

The chaos began with a series of executive orders that threatened to freeze funding for basic grants and programs, before being blocked by a judge and walked back by Trump. However, the damage was already done, and federal workers are still trying to make sense of the rapid-fire changes. "A lot of us are scared and feel betrayed," said a person who works for the US Agency for International Development (USAID). "When [people] get hired, they take an oath to protect the constitution." The worker's sentiments are echoed by many others across various federal agencies, who are struggling to come to terms with the unprecedented changes.

The hostile takeover of federal agencies has put employees and contractors on edge, with many wondering if they'll be the next target. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is one such agency, where employees received a notice telling them the agency "has the right to immediately terminate you." The email, sent to 1,100 people on a probationary/trial period, has created a sense of unease and devastation among new hires. "All that waiting on pins and needles is just destroying morale," said Nicole Cantello, legislative and political coordinator for Council 238 of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE).

The Trump administration's agenda has seeped into even the most innocuous of places, such as email signatures. Multiple people working for the federal government told The Verge that staff were instructed to remove pronouns from email signatures, citing Trump's anti-trans executive order. The crackdown on things like work from home or acknowledging gender has created an atmosphere of paranoia and hyper-vigilance, with many federal employees moving work-related conversations to encrypted messaging apps like Signal.

The lack of clarity internally has prompted alternative channels for federal workers to share information with one another. The subreddit r/fednews has become a central space for federal workers to share goings-on in their agencies, compare notes with one another, and boost morale. Other grassroots accounts like the Alt National Parks Service account serve as an updates feed for federal employees and concerns members of the public.

Public response by Democratic lawmakers has been scattered, with some in the party attributing it to a lack of a coherent message. However, on Monday, a group of Democratic lawmakers held a press conference outside the USAID headquarters, calling Trump and Musk's attempts to shut down USAID illegal. "We don't have a fourth branch of government called Elon Musk," said Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD). The group then attempted to enter the building but were blocked by law enforcement.

As the situation continues to unfold, federal workers are left wondering what the future holds. Will they be able to hold on to their jobs, or will they become the next casualty of the Trump administration's sweeping changes? One thing is certain – the chaos and uncertainty have created a climate of fear and solidarity among federal employees, who are determined to stand together in the face of unprecedented adversity.