Many former federal employees who were laid off by Elon Musk’s DOGE unit were in the House chambers watching President Trump’s address to the joint session of Congress last night. Among them was Chante Powell, who up until last month was an auditor at the USDA in New Orleans. She was a guest of her congressman, Troy Carter. Powell says she was there to put a face to the effects of widespread layoffs by Trump and Musk. She says losing her job has turned her life upside down.
“Access to healthcare was cut. My retirement plan, that’s gone. And just having that financial stability, being able to send my daughter off to college and see her progress and graduate and succeed, it has impacted that as well,” Powell said.
Congressman Carter says letting Powell go is the complete opposite of what DOGE is trying to do.
“If the intent, under Elon Musk’s DOGE’s mission statement, is to root out waste, fraud, and abuse, that was the job that Ms. Powell had as an auditor,” Carter said.
Meanwhile, Powell says her new full-time job is to find a new full-time job.
“I’ve put my foot to the pavement, and I’ve been applying to several jobs, hoping that something comes through,” Powell said.
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