This commentary was originally published in the Fall 2025 edition of PEEReview.
After ten months of the Trump administration, it is important to recognize that the fate of our work protecting public employees and the environment is dependent on our ability to combat the rise in authoritarianism and promote democratic values in our country.
That raises an important issue: how can we be more effective in our work as the political and legal world changes so rapidly around us? While it is very difficult to predict the future, it is clear we are entering a new era where we must all rapidly adapt to the changes around us and prepare for a long fight for what we believe in.
The Rise of Authoritarianism
Since President Trump took office, the administration has embarked on vindictive campaigns to control the press, punish political opponents, and consolidate power in the hands of the President in ways we have never seen in this country. The administration’s authoritarian tactics are apparent to anyone who follows the news.
Some of those tactics we have been fighting against include:
- Conducting mass purges of public employees.
- Installing loyalty oaths for new hires.
- Increasing surveillance of federal employees to gauge their political leanings.
- Firing public employees for carrying out laws enacted by Congress.
- Cracking down on the free speech rights and rights of association of federal employees.
- Destroying independent government science and attacking scientists.
- Ignoring Congressional appropriations.
Those of us who care about democracy, the environment, and the humane treatment of government workers know the coming months will pose difficult challenges as the administration ramps up its efforts to consolidate power before next year’s elections.
We also know that in the coming months, the work of non-government organizations will become more important as our cases work their way through the courts and administrative bodies. These cases take on added urgency as President Trump recently issued a memorandum authorizing government-wide investigations into non-profits, activists, and their funders, using labels of “terrorism” and “conspiracy against rights.”
There are Signs of Hope
Although our political system is clearly broken, there are signs of hope.
First, most of the legal issues that underpin our lawsuits have not been fully settled. It is important to continue to fight these cases for as many years as necessary – giving up would be exactly what the administration wants.
Second, we are beginning to see pushback in Congress across the political spectrum against some of the more extreme actions of the President. We will do our part to make sure our elected leaders in Congress hear and understand the important work of our federal agencies.
Throughout the country, we are also seeing a growing resentment to the way this administration is treating their fellow human beings, including federal workers.
Finally, we also know that people across the ideological spectrum are coming together to fight to protect the civil service and strengthen environmental protections, whether it is to minimize chemicals in our food, protect public lands and wildlife, or come up with solutions to minimize greenhouse gas pollutants and address climate change.
Old and New Tactics Needed
PEER’s unique blend of protecting public employees and fighting to advance environmental protections is made for this moment.
But we also know we need to adopt new strategies and tactics in the coming months and years if we are to succeed in our work. One such strategy is to make sure we fight harder to expose and fight the corruption that has led to the gutting of the civil service and open war on science and the environment.
Another strategy is to continue to build bridges across all ideological spectrums by listening to others, and learning from and working with them.
To learn more about our response to the rise in authoritarianism and how it affects our work, please visit our recent webinar, Environmental Protection, Public Employees and the Rise of Authoritarianism.
Tim Whitehouse is the Executive Director at PEER.
