GOP lawmaker booed for DOGE defense at Wyoming town hall
Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.) was loudly booed at a Wyoming town hall for defending the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) work, standing behind the advisory board's work while touting the current administration's agenda.
Hageman, Wyoming's at-large congressional representative, backed the action President Trump’s administration has taken so far and brought up her vote for the Laken Riley Act. Both topics were met with disapproval from the crowd at the Laramie Civic Center on Wednesday night.
But the most forceful rebuke of the House lawmaker came when she attempted to defend DOGE’s work.
“DOGE is not dismantling Social Security, and even with reconciliation we are not allowed to touch Social Security,” Hageman said with loud boos coming from the crowd.
Attendees at one point were shouting “Deport Elon! Deport Elon! Deport Elon!” referring to tech billionaire and Trump’s close adviser Elon Musk who was tapped by the president in November last year to oversee the advisory board that has infiltrated agencies and departments. Thousands of federal government workers have been fired.
One former government employee confronted Hageman about DOGE’s work that has been strongly opposed by Democrats in Congress and activists on the ground, and has had some of its actions challenged in court.
A woman told Hageman that she was fired from the Department of Agriculture a month ago, “despite only having the highest remarks in my performance review. You are in a state where so many farmers rely on government programs for drought and disaster relief.”
“Trump’s plans to cut these programs,” along with his proposed tariffs, “will decimate Wyoming farms in rural communities. What are you doing about that?” the woman asked as the crowd broke out in cheers.
“I disagree,” Hageman responded as the boos ensued. “I come from the ag community. I am well aware of what kind of programs are out there.”
“I haven’t seen it and I don’t think that we will see it,” the Wyoming lawmaker said. “I think that our small businesses, our ranchers and our farmers are going to be able to actually thrive in an environment where they are not so overregulated by the federal government.”
Hageman was asked by a man in attendance if DOGE could be implemented in the Cowboy State.
"That’s up to all of you,” Hageman said Wednesday. “What it comes down to is accountability. That’s all that DOGE is doing, and that’s all it's about.”
“My view of government is that the government does work for the people, and whether it's the federal government or the state government or the local government, every one of you should be able to ask questions,” the Wyoming Republican stated. “That's why I think that DOGE is such a brilliant thing, because when you look at what it is doing, it is identifying various programs that none of us ever wanted to fund in the first place.”
One attendee asked the House lawmaker about the staffing situation at Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks.
“We’ve already checked with the Department of the Interior. They’re already in the process of hiring 5,000 seasonal employees. The national parks will be fully staffed for the upcoming season,” Hageman said. “I have no doubt that they will be able to meet the demand.”
The current administration is looking at a 30 percent payroll reduction at the National Park Service, The Hill reported earlier this month. The terminations would be to payroll, therefore would not lead to a 30 percent cut to the National Park Service’s staff.
The hostile town hall was attended by at least 500 people, Cowboy State Daily reported.
A day prior, Rep. Mike Flood (R-Neb.) also heard an earful from constituents, with the crowd in Nebraska rebuking the lawmaker over Musk’s role in the overhaul of the federal government, Trump’s tariff agenda and Washington’s current posture on Ukraine.
Flood’s backlash came after the House Republican leadership advised the conference to avoid hosting in-person town halls and opt for livestreamed versions or call-ins. The directive came after a number of House GOP lawmakers were slammed by attendees at town halls, garnering significant headlines as attendees complained about Trump’s handling of the presidency.
House Democrats have not been immune from backlash.
Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) was challenged by attendees, with one physically confronting him at a town hall Wednesday, over the way Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are treated.
“What you’re saying is, I’m not going to get my way when my people are being slaughtered, and I want you to stop funding that,” a man shouted.
“If you would like to run for office, run for office,” Casten said.
“That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. You are the most soulless piece of crap I have ever seen,” the attendee responded.
The attendee got on stage, and Casten told him to get down. The police came in and ended the event.
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