Probationary Employee Losses at Transportation Affected Safety Services

The Department of Transportation's (DOT) February 2025 purge of probationary employees reportedly had widespread effects on agency functions, raising fears that components such as the Federal Highway Administration could no longer carry out their missions to develop and support critical infrastructure. The firings occurred February 14, 2025, without justification or notification to Congress, according to House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Democrats, who also reported that the entire senior career leadership team at one DOT safety agency subsequently announced retirements representing more than 150 years of experience. The firings drew sustained congressional oversight.