© 2026 All Rights reserved WUSF
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Our daily newsletter, delivered first thing weekdays, keeps you connected to your community with news, culture, national NPR headlines, and more.

How civil servants lost their jobs standing up to DOGE

The cover of "Blockers." (Courtesy of MIchael Lewis)
Courtesy of MIchael Lewis
The cover of "Blockers." (Courtesy of MIchael Lewis)

The Department of Government Efficiency lasted just a few months in 2025, but its impact will last for years, not because it made the government more efficient — it failed to meaningfully reduce federal spending — but because it hollowed out several government agencies and demonized federal workers.

A new book tells the story of DOGE through the eyes of career civil servants who fought back. It’s called “Blockers: Rebels in the Deep State,” by Michael Lewis. He spoke to Scott Tong.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2026 WBUR

Thanks to you, WUSF is here — delivering fact-based news and stories that reflect our community.⁠ Your support powers everything we do.