¶ Overview
Van Orden supported the “tumultuous” nature of DOGE, at one point saying he “would rather shake the tree than water the tree with the blood of liberty.” He even joined the congressional DOGE caucus. Meanwhile, DOGE-driven cuts and downsizing were affecting the federal government’s ability to deliver services to seniors. More than 180,000 Wisconsinites in Van Orden’s district rely on Social Security benefits.
He defended DOGE even though an Athens, WI farmer said cuts to federal agricultural programs were affecting her bottom line.
Van Orden also defended Trump’s mass layoffs of federal workers, even going so far as to bully and threaten a veteran who had been fired who messaged Van Orden on LinkedIn asking him to help stop the firings.
¶ Van Orden Supported DOGE’s Harmful Cuts Despite The Chaos They Created
¶ Van Orden Defended The “Tumultuous” Nature of Doge And Was Part Of The Congressional Doge Caucus
Van Orden Joined The DOGE Caucus In Congress. According to a post on Rep. Derrick Van Orden’s Twitter, “The DOGE Caucus has launched! Rep. Van Orden is ready to get to work with Caucus Co-Chair @PeteSessions , @elonmusk , and @VivekGRamaswamy to slash wasteful government spending and eliminate the bureaucratic red tape for all Americans.” [Twitter, @RepVanOrden, 12/17/24]
Van Orden Admitted DOGE Was “Tumultuous” And Said “I Would Rather Shake The Tree Than Water The Tree With The Blood Of Liberty.” According to Wisconsin Public Radio, "On DOGE, Van Orden said he’s talked with Musk and his staff of ‘tech dudes’ to explain ‘rural America’ to them. He said they share a common goal of making America prosperous and secure. ‘Is it going to be tumultuous right now?’ Van Orden said. ‘You bet it is. But I would rather shake the tree than water the tree with the blood of liberty.’" [Wisconsin Public Radio, 3/13/25]
- Athens, WI Farmer Said Cuts To Federal Agricultural Programs Were Affecting Her Bottom Line. According to Wisconsin Public Radio, "Kat Becker is the owner and operator of Cattail Organics in Athens, Wisconsin. Her farm participated in both USDA programs ended under the Trump administration. She told WPR’s ‘Wisconsin Today’ that cuts to Agriculture programs at the federal level are impacting her bottom line. ‘Right now, we’re trying to pivot and find other markets,’ Becker said. ‘Since it’s really unclear if [the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program] will make it into the state budget [or] if any federal programs will get reinstated, we’re just trying to make the best decisions we can on a week-to-week basis.’" [Wisconsin Public Radio, 4/25/25]
¶ Van Orden Dismissed The Harm Doge Brought To Federal Workers In Wisconsin
In Response To A Tweet From Rep. Jamie Raskin Claiming The Trump Administration Was Traumatizing Federal Workers, Van Orden Said “Then Trauma It Shall Be.” According to a post on Derrick Van Orden’s Twitter,
[Twitter, @derrickvanorden, 2/27/25]
- HEADLINE: "Evers Launches Campaign To Recruit Displaced Federal Workers To Wisconsin" [Wisconsin Public Radio, 3/27/25]
- HEADLINE: "‘A Slap In The Face’: Federal Workers In Wisconsin Fight Their Firings After Mass Layoffs" [Wisconsin Public radio, 3/5/25]
¶ Van Orden Even Bullied A Veteran Who Had Been Fired By The Trump Administration Simply Because The Veteran Asked Van Orden To Help Stop The Firing Of Federal Workers
HEADLINE: "'He Bullied Me': Congressman Derrick Van Orden Threatens To Report Veteran, Former VA Employee To DOGE" [WKOW (ABC), 3/5/25]
Van Orden Threatened To Refer A Veteran Who Had Been Fired From His VA Job In Los Angeles, CA To DOGE Because The Veteran Questioned The Trump Administration’s Mass Firings Of Federal Workers. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Wisconsin Republican U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden threatened a former Veterans Affairs employee over the weekend, saying he would ‘be referring’ him to the Department of Government Efficiency after he questioned the mass firings of federal workers. But the man, a disabled veteran named Jesus ‘Tony’ Ruiz, had already lost his job at the Los Angeles VA in early February. Ruiz is one of the thousands of probationary employees at federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, who have been fired in recent weeks as President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, the world's wealthiest man and the head of DOGE, slash the size of the federal workforce." [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3/5/25]
The Fired Veteran Had Sent Van Orden A Message On LinkedIn Urging Him To Help Stop The Firing Of Federal Workers. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "‘Ruiz said he sent Van Orden a LinkedIn message on Monday, Feb. 10, a week after he was laid off, urging him to help stop the firings. Van Orden replied Saturday morning, seemingly unaware Ruiz was no longer working at the VA. ‘I will be referring you to DOGE as it seems that at 13:46 on a Monday you should have been working for veterans, not posting trash about your boss, President Trump,’ Van Orden wrote in his LinkedIn message, which was shared with the Journal Sentinel. ‘There needs to be accountability. Now. Have a great day.’" [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3/5/25]
¶ At the Social Security Administration, DOGE Had Forced Mass Layoffs, Longer Wait Times and Frequent Website Crashes
HEADLINE: “Some Milwaukee Residents Say They’re Already Struggling For Assistance As Social Security Faces Cuts” [TMJ4 News, 2/28/25]
HEADLINE: "Social Security Stops Reporting Call Wait Times And Other Metrics" [Washington Post, 6/20/25]
HEADLINE: "As Social Security Services Are Cut Back, Millions Of Seniors Face Long Drives" [Axios, 6/8/25]
HEADLINE: "Social Security Website Keeps Crashing, As DOGE Demands Cuts To IT Staff" [Washington Post, 4/7/25]
HEADLINE: "Social Security Faces Thousands More Job Cuts Even With Service In Tailspin" [Washington Post, 4/4/25]
CBPP Said The Trump Administration Had Pushed Out 7,000 Social Security Workers. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, "Over the past five months, the Trump Administration has forced the Social Security Administration (SSA) through a radical transformation that threatens to disrupt services for the largely older and severely disabled people who most rely on the agency.[1] The Trump Administration and its so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have created huge gaps in customer service and support by indiscriminately pushing out 7,000 workers to hit an arbitrary staffing reduction target. This is the largest staffing cut in SSA’s history.[2] (See Figure 1.)" [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 6/23/25]
The Social Security Administration Website Crashed Four Times In Ten Days In March Because Servers Were Overloaded. According to the Washington Post, "The Social Security Administration website crashed four times in 10 days this month because the servers were overloaded, blocking millions of retirees and disabled Americans from logging in to their online accounts. In the field, office managers have resorted to answering phones in place of receptionists because so many employees have been pushed out. Amid all this, the agency no longer has a system to monitor customer experience because that office was eliminated as part of the cost-cutting efforts led by Elon Musk. And the phones keep ringing. And ringing." [Washington Post, 3/25/25]
Field Office Managers At Social Security Offices Had To Answer Phones In Place Of Receptionists Because DOGE Had Pushed Out So Many Federal Employees. According to the Washington Post, "The Social Security Administration website crashed four times in 10 days this month because the servers were overloaded, blocking millions of retirees and disabled Americans from logging in to their online accounts. In the field, office managers have resorted to answering phones in place of receptionists because so many employees have been pushed out. Amid all this, the agency no longer has a system to monitor customer experience because that office was eliminated as part of the cost-cutting efforts led by Elon Musk. And the phones keep ringing. And ringing." [Washington Post, 3/25/25]
DOGE Eliminated The Social Security Administration’s System To Monitor Customer Experience. According to the Washington Post, "The Social Security Administration website crashed four times in 10 days this month because the servers were overloaded, blocking millions of retirees and disabled Americans from logging in to their online accounts. In the field, office managers have resorted to answering phones in place of receptionists because so many employees have been pushed out. Amid all this, the agency no longer has a system to monitor customer experience because that office was eliminated as part of the cost-cutting efforts led by Elon Musk. And the phones keep ringing. And ringing." [Washington Post, 3/25/25]
Early February-Late March 2025: AARP Said More Than 2,000 People Per Week Had Called Expressing Concerns About Whether They Would Continue To Get Their Social Security Benefits. According to the Washington Post, "Alarmed lawmakers are straining to answer questions back home from angry constituents. Calls have flooded into congressional offices. AARP announced Monday that more than 2,000 people a week have called the retiree organization since early February — double the usual number — with concerns about whether benefits they paid for during their working careers will continue. Social Security is the primary source of income for about 40 percent of older Americans." [Washington Post, 3/25/25]
MORE THAN 180,000 WISCONSINITES IN THE THIRD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT RELIED ON SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS
180,034 Wisconsinites in the 3rd Congressional District Relied On Social Security Benefits. According to the Social Security Administration, in 2024, 180,034Wisconsinites in the 3rd congressional district received Social Security benefits. [Social Security Administration, Wisconsin, 2024]