Are you being impacted by Trump administration cuts? We want to hear from you

Since taking office on Jan. 20, President Donald Trump and his administration have implemented a series of federal budget cuts using the newly-created Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. According to CNN’s federal layoff tracker, over 101,000 employees have been fired so far, largely from Veterans Affairs, the Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security Administration.

Reporters and editors at The Bellingham Herald want to hear about how federal cuts are impacting Bellingham and Whatcom County residents. If you work for a government agency, a nonprofit or other organization that’s experiencing layoffs or being impacted, you can tell us your story in the form below. Responses will be monitored and reviewed, and a reporter or editor may reach out for more details.

Since there’s an understandable fear of retaliation, anything you share will be kept confidential unless you give us permission to publish it. We adhere to the Society of Professional Journalists’ code of ethics.

If you have any questions, or prefer to share your story by email, you can contact Herald staff at newsroom@bellinghamherad.com.

Here is some of our previous reporting on how the federal budget cuts are impacting Bellingham:

Whatcom County officials, nonprofits grapple with uncertainty amid federal funding freeze

Hundreds rally in Bellingham, protesting Trump and Musk firings, wrecking of alliances

Here is some reporting across McClatchy’s network of Washington papers about how the federal budget cuts are impacting the state as a whole:

‘Real and immediate impact.’ WA outdoor recreation leaders brace for effect of Trump cuts

Federal funding chaos is hampering WA state planning for wildfire season, officials say

Federal government employs thousands in WA. What if they take Trump’s ‘buyout’ offer?

‘It violates who we are as a nation.’ Ex-federal workers from WA angered by firings

This story was originally published March 7, 2025 at 1:49 PM.