Best-written Federal Resignations, 2025

In January 2025, President Trump, Elon Musk, and their allies undertook a project to reshape the federal workforce. Since then, every few days, we’ve read—and heard about—stirring letters of resignation from (former) federal employees. In tones ranging from strident to forlorn, these letters chronicle the decimation of America’s national civil service.

We intend to collect and publish the best-written federal resignation letters of 2025. Essays by modern historians will introduce each chapter, while reflections from contemporary poets will offer context.

Resignations penned by agency leaders and senior military officers get plenty of attention, and we’ll publish some of those, of course. But those people tend to land on their feet. We also want to read and publish the letters of everyday employees. Park rangers and museum curators, meat inspectors and bank auditors.

Someday, future historians will wonder why so many people complied with what William Burns called "Great Power Suicide." This book will document some of the brave voices who didn't comply, who said, “Count me out,” who left their jobs and paychecks rather than violate their duty to the public good.

If you know of someone who resigned from the federal government in 2025, we'd like to know about it. Please share their story with us.