Wash staffBy Claire Van Buren
Some federal interns, who said they are experiencing significant anxiety following President Donald Trump鈥檚 federal agency layoffs, may consider switching to private-sector jobs. This instability has instilled a feeling of distrust in the government and its ability to protect employees.
Zoe McCasland, a legislative intern for Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., said working for Markey is gratifying because of his progressive approach. Still, she often faces emotionally draining circumstances as the first line of defense for local constituents.
鈥淭here are people that call every single day,鈥� McCasland said. 鈥淭hey are like, you know, 鈥業鈥檓 elderly. I live on Social Security. I鈥檓 a veteran. I have a trans child. I am trans myself 鈥� I鈥檓 genuinely scared for my ability to live right now and over the next four years. There are just a couple of calls I鈥檝e had that just take the life out of you 鈥� And there鈥檚, like, not really anything I can do.鈥欌��
Sarah Hayes, a fourth-year Ph.D. student in the government program at Georgetown University, specializes in American politics, race politics and understanding people鈥檚 political behaviors and attitudes toward public policies.
Hayes discussed the growing distrust in the government and predicted that it would manifest in American culture in unprecedented ways.
According to a , 66% of Democrats, 87% of Republicans, and 90% of Independents said they 鈥渢rust the government to do what is right鈥� only some of the time or none of the time. Only 23% of respondents said they trust the government almost always or most of the time.
鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 trust the government anywhere,鈥� Hayes said. 鈥淭his is kind of what happens when you upend procedural norms 鈥� trust will naturally fall by the wayside. Because if you can鈥檛 put your trust in what is done on a regular basis, then I don鈥檛 know what else you can do.鈥�
However, she encourages undergraduate students to persist in these uncertain times by exploring different career avenues. She recommended nonprofits, think tanks, and state departments in Maryland and Virginia as alternatives for students concerned about federal employment.
鈥淚 think that there are a lot of doors closing on a lot of different people, but I think one thing that is going to be important is that, like 鈥� you gotta stay ready,鈥� Hayes said.
Some current federal interns also advise younger undergraduates to remain determined to succeed. Jack Bowman, an intern in the office of suburban Philadelphia Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-PA, said excelling in technical skills is crucial to succeeding as a federal intern.
Bowman and McCasland have not directly experienced instability but have witnessed it among their peers.
鈥淚 actually have a friend who works at the State Department鈥攐r worked, I guess鈥攁nd she got fired recently,鈥� said Bowman. 鈥溾�� she had to break her lease because she couldn鈥檛 afford her rent anymore.鈥�
McCasland said a peer in the Department of Transportation goes to work every day, not knowing if she will still be employed.
McCasland also considered switching to the private sector鈥攕omething she is personally against鈥攂ut she constantly fears for the stability of her job and the future of nonprofits. Despite the overwhelming uncertainty, her passion remains in the public sector.
鈥淣othing鈥檚 gonna get done if there aren鈥檛, like, good people who actually care about something exactly, that are fighting for something real and not to line the pockets of oligarchs,鈥� McCasland said. 鈥淭he world needs passionate people.鈥�
Bowman also plans to remain in the public sector despite the recent tensions. He enjoys knowing that his work directly affects his hometown, particularly in healthcare and education policy.
鈥淭he public sector has become more volatile for a lot of people who are studying government and poli-sci and all that stuff,鈥� Bowman said.
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