From:​ Former presidentially-appointed officials at GSA

Date:​ March 13, 2025

Re: ​ Open letter regarding Trump Administration actions at the U.S. General Services Administration

As officials representing multiple administrations, we write to express our support for U.S. General
Services Administration (GSA) employees and our concern that the Trump-Vance administration’s rash
and misguided actions will reduce efficiency while putting taxpayer dollars, critical infrastructure, and
personal information at risk.

GSA is the backbone of the federal government, providing real estate, acquisition, and technology
expertise for all agencies. GSA was founded over 75 years ago after a bi-partisan commission led by
Former President Herbert Hoover recommended to President Harry Truman that basic government
functions like real estate and contracting should be consolidated in one agency as a way to increase
efficiency and save money. Since then, GSA’s talented employees have been its driving force, evolving
with the changing times and pioneering solutions that have saved taxpayers billions of dollars while
enabling agencies to deliver more effectively for the American people.

Before the past few weeks, the work of GSA rarely made headlines, but its work behind the scenes quietly
supports the entire government’s ability to respond to emergencies, defend the security of the country’s
physical and cyber infrastructure, and ensure that our veterans, farmers, small businesses, seniors and
millions of other Americans have access to the services they need from government.

The work of GSA is vital to the safe and effective operation of government. While every organization’s
operations should be continuously evaluated for improvement, indiscriminate cuts to assets and personnel
without a thorough analysis of their impact is irresponsible and can result in irreversible damage.

Evidence is mounting that the Trump-Vance administration’s drastic cuts, sloppy management, and
disregard for important safeguards will threaten the government’s ability to deliver services to the public
and make America more vulnerable to fraud and cyber attacks, while reducing efficiency and
effectiveness.

At the behest of Elon Musk and the “Department of Government Efficiency,” or “DOGE,” dedicated
public servants are being fired without regard to their performance. Those that remain are being
threatened, bullied, and driven to resign when they insist on following the law. Highly-sensitive IT
systems are being put at risk and sensitive information is being downloaded to unknown, unvetted external
sources in clear violation of privacy and data-protection rules. Programs with decades of successful
outcomes are being hamstrung or shuttered entirely, including technology teams like 18F that keep
essential government websites working and those like the GSA SmartPay team who ensure the
government can save money when purchasing supplies and services.

These actions run directly counter to DOGE’s stated goals of reducing waste and improving efficiency.
Every year GSA helps other agencies save billions of dollars in real estate costs and on the purchase price
of goods and services, including an estimated $8 billion in 2024 alone. Eliminating people who know
where to find more savings defies common sense. And in some cases evidence suggests these attempts to
downsize will actually cost more money than they save. Indeed, recent reporting confirms that DOGE
hasn’t touched the major sources of government spending, while its purported savings have been exposed
as mere smoke and mirrors. Its plans to offload hundreds of government buildings like courthouses in a
fire sale – without strategy or forethought - fails to meet even the baseline threshold for responsible fiscal
stewardship of government assets.

The Trump-Vance administration’s promises of efficiency and cost saving for taxpayers ring hollow when
their actions show a disregard for taxpayer dollars and create opportunities for conflicts of interest and
corrupt self-dealing.

Avoiding the worst potential consequences of the Trump-Vance administration’s actions depends on those
dedicated civil servants who continue to serve, and the watchdogs, whistleblowers, and elected
representatives who each swore an oath to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law.

We call on the U.S Congress to exercise its Constitutional oversight responsibilities, investigate these
actions being taken against dedicated public servants, and assess the significant costs taxpayers will
ultimately pay.

We continue to stand with the career civil servants at GSA - both current and former - and we thank them
for their service to the American people.

Signed,

Robin Carnahan
Former Administrator, U.S. General Services Administration – Biden-Harris Administration

Denise Roth
Former Administrator, U.S. General Services Administration – Obama-Biden Administration

Dan Tangherlini
Former Administrator, U.S. General Services Administration – Obama-Biden Administration

Martha N. Johnson
Former Administrator, U.S. General Services Administration – Obama-Biden Administration

David Barram
Former Administrator, U.S. General Services Administration – Clinton-Gore Administration

Katy Kale
Former Deputy Administrator, U.S. General Services Administration – Biden-Harris Administration
James Benner​ Arpit Garg​ ​
Biden-Harris Administration Biden-Harris Administration

Thomas M. Berry​ LeJamiel Goodall​ ​

Biden-Harris Administration Biden-Harris Administration

Krystal​Brumfield Channing Grate​

Biden-Harris Administration Biden-Harris Administration

Reggie​ Cardozo​ ​ Christine Harada

Obama-Biden Administration Obama-Biden Administration

Morgan​Carrico​​ Sonny Hashmi​

Biden-Harris Administration Biden-Harris Administration, Obama-Biden
Administration
Bryce Causey​ ​
Biden-Harris Administration Waldo Jaquith​
Biden-Harris Administration​
Jacky Chang​ ​
Biden-Harris Administration Trevor D. Jones​ ​
Biden-Harris Administration
Sam Cho​ ​
Obama-Biden Administration Sukhee​Kang​ ​
Biden-Harris Administration
Keyva Clark​ ​
Biden-Harris Administration Michael T Kerin​
Obama-Biden Administration
Kailynn​Cummings ​
Biden-Harris Administration Fernando Laguarda
Biden-Harris Administration
Elliot Doomes​ ​
Biden-Harris Administration Angela​ Lesnak​
Biden-Harris Administration
Laila ElGohary​ ​
Biden-Harris Administration Ann Lewis​ ​
Biden-Harris Administration
Janay S. Eyo​
Biden-Harris Administration Denise Maes
Biden-Harris Administration
Brandon Faske​
Biden-Harris Administration
Andrea M. O'Neal​ ​ Jetta Wong​
Biden-Harris Administration Biden-Harris Administration

Nathan​ Osburn​​ Teressa​Wykpisz-Lee​

Biden-Harris Administration Biden-Harris Administration, Obama-Biden
Administration
Tenzin​ Pelkyi​ ​
Biden-Harris Administration

Brett Prather
Biden-Harris Administration, Obama-Biden
Administration

Gia Rivera​
Biden-Harris Administration, Obama-Biden
Administration

Exodie C. Roe. III​ ​

Biden-Harris Administration

Nitin Shah
Biden-Harris Administration

Christine Simpson
Biden-Harris Administration

Natasha​ Shah Syed​

Biden-Harris Administration

QuynhTran
Biden-Harris Administration

Dawne Troupe​ ​
Obama-Biden Administration

Nicolas​Valbuena ​
Biden-Harris Administration

Christina Wilkes​
Biden-Harris Administration