• Former U.S. officials ousted under President Donald Trump’s DOGE initiative are reportedly planning coordinated resistance, including internal sabotage, against his administration. Citing their past experience in foreign democracy campaigns, some claim to be organizing networks and training current civil servants in acts of obstruction. The White House and critics have strongly condemned the activity as anti-democratic.

WASHINGTON, DC (TDR) — A growing network of ousted U.S. officials and current federal workers is reportedly plotting to disrupt President Donald Trump’s second-term agenda, according to a NOTUS investigation. The group, composed of former USAID and State Department employees dismissed under Trump’s DOGE initiative, claims their dismissals were politically motivated and now seek to fight back from both inside and outside government.

“Take it from those of us who worked in authoritarian countries: We’ve become one,” an anonymous federal employee told NOTUS, referencing past U.S. efforts to promote democratic movements abroad. “They’ve done a very foolish thing. You just released a bunch of well-trained individuals into your population.”

The DOGE Initiative and Mass Dismissals

Trump’s DOGE initiative—short for “Deconstructing Organizational Government Excess”—was launched earlier this year as part of a broader plan to streamline federal agencies. It resulted in mass dismissals across the Department of State, USAID, and various administrative branches, with the White House arguing the move would “restore accountability and efficiency to bloated federal agencies.”

But according to the report, some fired officials are now organizing “noncooperation workshops,” aimed at training current government employees in methods of bureaucratic resistance.

The CIA’s “Simple Sabotage Field Manual”

Sources also claim participants are circulating the CIA’s 1944 “Simple Sabotage Field Manual”—a World War II-era guide once used to undermine hostile regimes. The pamphlet encourages actions such as delaying decisions, misplacing files, and feigning confusion to slow down institutional processes.

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“The saboteur may have to reverse his thinking,” the manual states. “Where he formerly thought of keeping his tools sharp, he should now let them grow dull… he should now be lazy and careless.”

White House Response

White House officials responded swiftly to the revelations. Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly condemned the alleged activities in a statement, calling them a direct attack on democracy.

“It is inherently undemocratic for unelected bureaucrats to undermine the duly elected President of the United States and the agenda he was given a mandate to implement,” Kelly said.

Reactions from Lawmakers

Online, some Republican lawmakers echoed the administration’s concerns. Senator Eric Schmitt posted on X, “These people are making the case for their own firing better than we ever could.”

Parallels to the 2018 “Anonymous” Op-Ed

The sabotage effort bears similarities to the so-called “Anonymous” op-ed published in The New York Times in 2018, which described an internal resistance within the Trump administration. That op-ed’s author, later revealed to be mid-level DHS official Miles Taylor, is now under federal investigation for allegedly leaking classified information to the media.

According to the NOTUS report, at least one organizer of the current sabotage campaign referenced Taylor’s legacy when discussing their plans.

“We learned from the mistakes of the last time,” the source said. “We’re organizing smarter, more quietly, and with a wider net.”

Strengthened Monitoring Protocols

The White House has not announced whether any internal investigations have been opened in response. However, a senior administration official told reporters Wednesday that “internal monitoring protocols have already been strengthened” and any proven misconduct by federal employees would be “met with immediate consequences.”

Broader Context

The controversy comes as President Trump’s administration continues to expand its domestic and foreign policy agenda, which includes large-scale government reform and immigration enforcement. Critics argue that organized bureaucratic resistance undermines public trust in institutions, while defenders of the initiative say it is necessary to preserve democratic norms.

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