Elon Musk held a chainsaw at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) held on February 20, 2025 at the National Port in Maryland, USA.
Nathan Howard | Reuters
this Consumer Financial Protection BureauAccording to employee testimony, the leadership program of the Trump-appointed plans to fire nearly all 1,700 employees while “ending” the agency.
exist Trov Federal employees said in a statement released late Thursday that it discussed mass layoffs this month with senior CFPB leaders and members Elon MuskThe so-called Ministry of Government Efficiency.
“My team was instructed to terminate the vast majority of CFPB employees as soon as possible,” said an employee identified as Alex Doe.
Doe said CFPB leaders and Doge’s plan is to cut the bureau’s workforce in three phases. It eliminates first try out and the staff of tenure, then underwent a wave of about 1,200 layoffs, leaving hundreds of workers with skeleton crew members.
“Finally, the bureau will terminate most of its remaining employees within 60-90 days, thus ‘complete reduction’ within 60-90 days,” Doe said.
Workers’ testimony is crucial to the CFPB, an institution created in 2008 to protect consumers after the financial crisis caused by irresponsible loans. Since Doge operators first arrived at the CFPB this month, the agency closed its Washington headquarters, began its first round of layoffs and told those who stayed Almost all jobs.
The department also reversed a variety of situations, including accusing financial companies of Capital One Deprive customers, Dismissed at least four cases Billions of dollars in suspected consumer harm was involved on Thursday.
The document containing the employee statement is case Founded by the CFPB coalition, a judge has resulted in a moratorium on acting director Russell Vourch to close the agency. The agency’s actions were put on hold until the March 3 hearing after the CFPB fired about 200 probation and term employees.
‘Five people and one phone call’
These files show a noticeable disconnect between certain external messages from Vought and the bureau’s behind-the-scenes activity.
exist sports Case filed on Monday push Oppose his idea of removing CFPB.
He wrote: “The predicate of operating the more simplified and efficient bureau is that there will continue to be a CFPB.”
But the Trump administration’s plan is to lower the CFPB to the minimum required by the law: only five CFPB employees will remain in separate offices, or be folded into another regulator, workers testify.
During the meeting between February 18 and February 25, “Senior management told staff that the CFPB would be phased out unless there are five statutory authorized positions,” said the current CFPB employee, which is DREW DOE.
“A senior director said the CFPB would be a room for the Treasury Department, the White House or the Federal Reserve, with five men and cell phones,” Doe said.
Another CFPB employee said he or she attended a meeting of Adam Martinez, the bureau’s chief operating officer, on February 13, which said the agency was in “rain mode.”
CFPB employees said they will provide names and book titles if directed by the court.
Joe Character
The agency has long been the target of Republicans and financial institutions, who call it a rogue institution that goes beyond the legal authority of punishing companies. Recently, Musk has assumed the reason. He posted it on X platform,”RIP CFPB“Earlier this month, his doe agents started their work.
In several cases in the testimony, senior CFPB staff appeared to postpone discussions of key matters for employees.
For example, Doge worker Jordan Wick “specially said” Musk’s temporary group hopes to lay off large numbers by February 14.
“The bureau intends to comply with and fire the vast majority of remaining employees on February 14Th,” said Alex Doe. “The only reason for this is due to the court’s order. ”
In other cases, Doge workers ask CFPB employees that they can cut the depth of operations while complying with statutory requirements in areas such as the testimony of CFPB worker Matthew Pfaff.
The employee’s work permit said that despite receiving full access to the CFPB system and data on February 7, employees have not completed the cybersecurity and privacy training required by the agency.
Legal requirements
Although Musk and Walker openly advocate for the end of the CFPB, only Congress can truly close the body, created after lawmakers passed the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act.
Vought’s move seems to lead him to claim that CFPB is still there, while taking over its role by drastically reducing its ability to oversee the company and respond to complaints.
CFPB employees question whether a small number of employees can reliably meet dozens of statutory requirements of the agency, including responding to millions of consumer complaints filed via the network and telephone lines, and maintaining an advocacy office for military veterans and seniors and seniors.
Thursday, President Jonathan McKernan Donald TrumpChoose to take over vought in CFPB, Tell Members including senators Elizabeth WarrenMassachusetts Democrats praised the institution for its creation, and he will “full and faithfully” enforce laws related to the CFPB’s mission.
McKennan added that if confirmed by the Senate, he would “right” the CFPB, as well as “refocus on it” and “put it accountable.”
Noted that Vought, who is also head of the Office of Management and Budget, canceled the lease for the agency’s headquarters, Sen. Jack Reed D.-Ri told McKernan that he was in a “very difficult position.”
“You don’t seem to have much presidential support or OMB support, and I have this sunk feeling that you’re leaving Liverpool On the TitanicReid said. “Good luck.”
