Civil Servant Declarations
The Bethesda Declaration contributed to a movement of federal workers from across the government who spoke up to protect the missions of their agencies and blow the whistle on the Trump administration’s waste, fraud and abuse.
Read their letters below.
“Americans have witnessed the unraveling of public health and environmental protections in the pursuit of political advantage.”
— 620 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Staff
June 30, 2025
“We are compelled to speak up when our leadership prioritizes political momentum over human safety, scientific advancement, and efficient use of public resources.”
— 363 NASA Staff
July 21, 2025
“As civil servants, NSF employees are bound by their oath to uphold the Constitution. That oath now compels us to call attention to actions that jeopardize NSF’s mission...”
— 149 National Science Foundation (NSF) Staff and AFGE Local 3403 Members
July 21, 2025
“The violent August 8th attack on CDC's headquarters in Atlanta was not random… [It] came amid growing mistrust in public institutions, driven by politicized rhetoric that has turned public health professionals from trusted experts into targets of villainization.”
— 750 HHS staff and 6000+ allies
Aug 20, 2025
“Our shared commitment to our country, our oaths of office, and our mission of helping people before, during, and after disasters compel us to warn Congress and the American people of the cascading effects of decisions made by the current administration.”
— 192 FEMA Staff
Aug 25, 2025
“The undersigned attorneys are acting on our legal, ethical, and professional duty to disclose this information, which we reasonably believe evidences serious violations of law by certain political and career leadership in the Department.”
— 4 Office of Fair Housing Attorneys at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Aug 27, 2025
“Our oath requires us to speak out when the Constitution is violated and the American people are put at risk.”
— 1000+ Department of Health and Human Services Staff
Sep 3, 2025
“We write to raise urgent concerns about proposed policies which, in addition to ones already enacted, will undermine VA’s healthcare system, overwhelm VA’s budget, and negatively affect the lives of all veterans.”
— 501 Veterans and Veteran’s Administration Healthcare Workers
Sep 24, 2025
“Our democracy is only as strong as the rule of law, and the rule of law can’t survive without the principal institution that enforces it..”
— 295 former DOJ career employees
Oct 6, 2025
“The future of the Civil Rights Division is in jeopardy, and with it, the rights it protects.”
— 202 Attorneys who resigned in protest from the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice
Dec 9, 2025
“We believe ICE and CBP are a greater threat to the health of our nation than the lapse of HHS services.”
— Save HHS Coalition
Jan 26, 2026