Bedbugs, bad Wi-Fi: Federal workers say forced summer relocations have been chaos
Federal employees report that forced office relocations under the Trump administration have been poorly managed, resulting in work disruptions and unnecessary costs. Despite moving to new locations, the government continues to pay millions in rent for abandoned office spaces.
Why it matters
The situation highlights concerns regarding government efficiency, fiscal responsibility, and the potential violation of congressional oversight protocols.
For more than five decades, NASA occupied several floors of office space in Manhattan rented from Columbia University, where employees researched how warming temperatures could alter weather and climate. Last year , the Trump administration abruptly forced all NASA employees out of that office to save money, officials said. This year, it's asking employees to move into new spaces. But the government continues to pay millions annually in rent for the old space.
NASA's move was part of a series of relocations launched by the Trump administration across at least six federal agencies that have continued through the summer. The relocations, agency leaders say, will reduce the government's real estate footprint, cut costs and decentralize operations away from the Washington, D.C. core.
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