Afrasianet - Anger over the layoffs in the United States, led by billionaire Elon Musk, has spread to the Senate, where dozens of people marched through the chamber.
Federal employees, who were tracked by security agents warning them not to obstruct movement in the corridors of the building, entered the offices of several Republican senators, including Majority Leader John Thune, to express their displeasure.
Steve, 33, who asked not to be given his full name for fear of reprisals, told AFP: "The goal is to make our voices heard." "We showed examples of how people are directly affected by the dismantling of agencies."
Musk's unprecedented crackdown on civil servants in the first weeks of President Donald Trump's second administration took office has shaken across agencies, leaving government employees overwhelmed and bitter.
"Everyone is in pain," Steve said, explaining that while some senators were "responsive" at first, they were "silent" when asked what they could do to help.
Trump's shock and terror approach, through the avalanche of executive orders he issued to leave his far-right mark on every issue in government, has not been met with widespread popular protests similar to those seen at the beginning of his first term in 2017.
But there is resistance from current and former federal employees, who respond with demonstrations and media campaigns, as well as resignations among senior officials and lawsuits.
Vera Zlidar, a temporarily laid off contractor who worked with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) destroyed by Musk's campaign, said the move was "largely popular. The work we do affects a lot of aspects of people's lives."
According to AFP, social media pages, messages and websites followed by thousands have proliferated, aimed at mobilizing and sharing how labor cuts are affecting American citizens. Protests in the Senate have also become a daily occurrence, although their size varies from day to day.
A federal employee who was involved in organizing the protests and also asked not to be identified, said: "We have to save ourselves."
Resignations and spoons
Some federal employees have protested by resigning, with about a third of employees in Musk's DOGE division resigning, saying they would not operate in a way that puts the country at risk.
Before the staff of about 20 left, federal employees created a website called "We are the Builders" to share stories about the impact of what the Dogg administration is doing, noting that its actions cripple agencies' ability to provide essential services.
Part of the group's logo bears a spoon that has become a symbol now used by federal employees to protest Musk's decisions, inspired by an email from his team titled "A Fork in the Road," a phrase that signals a crucial juncture in life. The letter offered government employees either to leave their jobs with 8 months' salaries or risk being fired in the future.
US media have reported instances where chat groups dedicated to work filled with pictures of spoons to mock Musk's aides, or employees added a spoon symbol to their online accounts.
Dozens of lawsuits have also been filed against Musk's threats or demands, with mixed results.
The largest union of federal employees, the American Federation of Public Employees, vowed to challenge the dismissals, which it deemed illegal, calling Musk "out of control."
Weapon of leisure time
The AFP report goes on to note that while Republicans in Congress, who control the House and Senate, are unanimous in loyalty to Trump, tension over Musk's moves is growing within the party.
A February poll released by The Washington Post in conjunction with Ipsos revealed dissatisfaction with Musk's approach to reducing the federal workforce. But Musk has remained on his ground, backed by the White House.
The world's richest people wrote a series of posts on his X platform that disparaged federal action and shared polls by the Political Action Committee he founded in support of Trump America PAC that said Doug was "among the most popular" parts of the president's agenda.
The organizer, who asked not to be identified, said the pressure is likely to intensify further as Musk moves to cut staff at more agencies and when thousands of civil servants find themselves sacked. "Free time is their most powerful weapon," he said.