Time to Hold Federal Employees Accountable?

When it comes to federal employees, it seems like they’re granted the same protections as endangered species—untouchable, unaccountable, and almost impossible to fire. And it’s not just the media who wants it that way. Recently, Forbes ran a piece lamenting the “dangers” of dismantling the Department of Education. Why? Because Trump dared to suggest that some of its employees “hate our children” and believe that states, not federal bureaucrats, should manage education. Naturally, the media went into meltdown mode.

But here’s a question we should be asking: if federal agencies can’t meet their own standards, why do they deserve job security? Over the weekend, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made waves by promising to dismantle the FDA, CDC, and NIH. And frankly, there’s a case to be made. The FDA and CDC’s own data shows that America is getting unhealthier by the day, with obesity rates and chronic diseases on the rise. If these agencies are supposed to be improving public health, then why aren’t they being held accountable when they fail?

It doesn’t end there. Let’s talk about the Department of Education. By their own metrics, American students are falling behind internationally year after year. Reading, math, science—you name it, we’re not where we should be. Yet federal employees in these agencies are still safe and secure, collecting their paychecks without consequence. Why? Imagine if private-sector employees failed at their jobs this consistently. They wouldn’t last long.

Leland Vittert, host of On Balance with Leland Vittert and Chief Washington Anchor for NewsNation, joined me to discuss this very topic. Should federal employees face the same performance standards as those in the private sector? Should they be fired if they can’t get the job done? Leland doesn’t hold back, and neither do I. Listen to our interview and decide for yourself: should federal employees be held accountable, or are we going to keep letting them off the hook?