It shouldn’t have to be said, but here we are: No, it is not normal for federal employees — whether career staff, political appointees, or otherwise — to defy the direction of the president of the United States.

Imagine you are the brand-new chief technology officer of a large company. The CEO has asked you to lead a portion of the company, one of the largest. Now, you are taking the helm of a department that you are passionate about, which needs change from its leadership after decades of mismanagement.

Six months into the second Trump administration, and after four years of sustained rest, we have returned to the sweeping crescendos and vibrant movements of the legacy media’s symphony of sympathy. Now, the tune has been adapted for departing federal employees as President Trump moves to streamline the federal government — and fast-track its firings for those who abuse their roles as stewards of the taxpayer.

Imagine an investment bank owned by several generations of a family. This bank has been a profitable institution for the family, and the people it serves have viewed it as a trustworthy, knowledgeable institution for many years. Moreso, this family’s community knows it can trust the family’s bank as a fiduciary — an institution bound by law to make the best choices for the family’s clients’ assets on the clients’ behalf.

Houston Keene, Boston Herald; Often, the first thought someone has when they think of an iceberg is the frozen behemoth that sank the supposedly unsinkable Titanic. We are seeing this scenario play out with the Trump administration’s streamlining of the federal government.

Houston Keene, Washington Times; Running a business requires a steady hand and an open mind. Managers need patience, grace and understanding for their employees. However, patience, grace and understanding are three things easily taken advantage of by those with ulterior motives, and the federal government is not immune to them.

Houston Keene, The Daily Caller; It looks as though some bureaucrats in the federal government are already melting down, and some filing lawsuits, over the 45th and 47th president’s doing away with diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and other policies championed under the Biden administration that insulate them from consequences for not doing their jobs.

Houston Keene, The Washington Reporter; The United States Constitution is the greatest legal document the world has ever produced, enshrining the God-given rights of our citizens in protection from those in the federal government who would view them as roadblocks. Article II of this seminal document vests the president with the power of the executive branch, and, by extension, authority over those who work in it. It is the duty of these employees, all of whom take an oath to uphold the Constitution, to carry out the agenda and all lawful orders of the President elected by the American people.