By [MC], Staff Writer

April 1, 2025 — What was once a symbol of pandemic-era flexibility has turned into a logistical and emotional nightmare for thousands of federal workers. In the weeks since President Donald Trump issued a sweeping executive order to end all remote work arrangements for government employees, returning staff have found themselves stepping into deteriorated workplaces riddled with decay, disorganization, and chaos.

From rat infestations to overcrowded cafeterias and blocked toilets, the return-to-office directive—implemented across multiple federal agencies—has left workers shocked, demoralized, and voicing concerns about basic working conditions in buildings that had been left semi-vacant for years.

The Executive Order That Sparked the Storm

On the very day of his return to the White House, President Trump issued a no-nonsense executive order calling for the full termination of remote work across the federal government. The directive, posted on the official White House website, instructed all departments and agencies to “take all necessary steps to terminate remote work arrangements” and to require in-person attendance from employees “on a full-time basis.”

The order allowed agency heads to grant limited exemptions, but the overall tone was clear: the era of government telework was over.

The deadline? March 10.

And for many agencies—including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)—the reality of that deadline hit hard.

“It’s a Warzone”: Workers Return to Filth and Dysfunction

According to multiple employee reports and media outlets including NPR and USA Today, the return to office life has been far from smooth. Some federal buildings had sat in limbo since 2020, collecting not just dust, but unwelcome guests.

“We found cockroaches and rats in the breakroom, trash cans overflowing from who knows how long ago, and toilets that don’t flush,” said one FDA employee who asked not to be named for fear of retaliation. “This is not a workplace—it’s a biohazard.”

An IRS worker told NPR that while they were lucky enough to receive a desk, many others weren’t so fortunate.

“Some of my team members have been shuffled between classrooms and auditoriums, even secure areas they don’t have clearance for,” the employee said. “There’s no real system in place—just chaos.”

Overcrowding and Outrage

Beyond the sanitary concerns, the infrastructure simply can’t handle the sudden influx of staff.

At the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), one worker described scenes of complete dysfunction:

“There are all the small indignities of being in a facility never equipped for this many people: toilet paper and paper towels running out immediately, very long lines at the cafeteria, loud noise, people working in hallways.”

Multiple reports from employees describe people having to work on stairwells, lobby benches, or even while standing—because there simply aren’t enough desks.

“Productivity is worse than when we were remote,” one USDA employee commented. “And morale? It’s at rock bottom.”

Is This the Plan All Along?

Some insiders and political analysts are speculating that this chaotic return may not be accidental. With Trump and his administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—reportedly headed by tech mogul Elon Musk—leading massive federal downsizing efforts, critics say the return-to-office mandate may be part of a broader strategy to drive out workers.

In public remarks, Trump has hinted at exactly that.

“We think a very substantial number of people will not show up to work,” he told The New York Times in February. “And therefore our government will get smaller and more efficient.”

And it’s already happening.

By the end of February, an estimated 30,000 federal employees had been laid off under DOGE’s restructuring plans. Many agencies have frozen hiring, cut entire departments, or forced early retirements.

Now, with the added pressure of hostile working environments, many believe even more attrition is being engineered—by design.

“This Isn’t Efficiency. It’s Erosion.”

Employee unions are sounding the alarm, arguing that what’s being labeled as “efficiency” is really a fast-track to undermining critical government functions.

“This is an intentional erosion of our public institutions,” said Martin Ellis, a spokesperson for the National Federation of Federal Employees. “You can’t force workers into rat-infested, overcrowded, and unsafe buildings and call that reform.”

Multiple agencies have declined to comment publicly, but internal memos obtained by journalists confirm that facilities teams are overwhelmed and underprepared to accommodate the full return of staff.

Meanwhile, some workers are reportedly organizing walkouts and preparing legal challenges, citing health code violations and unsafe working conditions.

What Happens Next?

As the dust—and debris—settles, it’s clear that the battle over the future of government work is far from over. The federal return-to-office debacle has ignited not just outrage, but a growing resistance among civil servants who feel they’re being used as pawns in a larger political game.

And as the Trump administration presses forward with its mission to downsize government, one thing is certain: the fallout from this forced return could shape the future of the federal workforce for years to come.