The combative employees created accounts associated with federal agencies to correct “misinformation” from the Trump administration, they said.
Federal employees have created a secret internal network to resist DOGE, which includes undermining the Trump administration using alternative government social media accounts. In recent weeks, the network, which goes by the hashtag #AltGov, has established a visible presence on Bluesky. The combative employees created accounts associated with federal agencies to correct "misinformation" from the Trump administration, they said.
The Guardian reported that more than 40 accounts have been created, with "Alt CDC (they/them)" gaining the most traction with nearly 95,000 followers. The network has also established a group and several subgroups on the encrypted messaging app Wire in order to exchange information and create plans.
The anti-Trump employees said the idea came after the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Elon Musk, emailed federal workers to submit five bullet points detailing what they had completed for the week. As a result, employees and contractors began to scheme how to respond to the email using encrypted chats, with one employee writing, "bonus points to anyone who responds that they spent their government subsidy on hookers and blow."
Lynn Stahl, a contractor with Veterans Affairs and a member of the network, told the Guardian that the effort is meant to "expose harmful policies, defend public institutions, and equip citizens with tools to push back against authoritarianism."
Stahl stated that #AltGov members are also focusing on creating "action plans" for everyday citizens, including attending town halls and contacting members of Congress. "The idea is to get regular people aware of what's happening...and maybe even inspire some people to run for office," she said.
Additionally, #AltGov members are scheming in encrypted conversations to determine how federal employees can assist one another as Musk's DOGE "chainsaws" through federal waste and abuse, resulting in mass layoffs.
The #AltGov network was originally established during President Trump's first term in the White House. However, those accounts were on X, formerly known as Twitter, and leftwing voters have since abandoned the X social media platform in protest of Elon Musk.
"#AltGov dates from the first Trump administration, but it's even more needed now," said a FEMA employee who wished to remain anonymous. She recently launched the "#AltGov Fema" account on Bluesky, which states in its bio that the accout is dedicated to "helping people before, during, and after (this democratic) disaster."
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