Trump-Gutted Pest Agency Battling Infestation of Its Own

A federal agency defunded by President Donald Trump is facing an ironic dilemma.

Agency staff for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the Department of Agriculture bureau in charge of containing the spread of invasive vermin in the U.S., are dealing with a bed bug infestation at an office, NOTUS reported on Tuesday.

Read more I Know Why Trump Is in His Shameless Cash Grab Era: Author

Employees at the George Washington Carver Center in Beltsville, Maryland, were notified about the situation in mid-May, according to NOTUS, citing five employees familiar with the matter.

After being allowed to work from home for a few days while the building was fumigated, employees returned to the office and complained about toxic fumes, with some getting sick.

USDA authorized another remote work approval, despite the Trump administration’s pressure on federal workers to report to their normal workplaces five days a week.

USDA officials told employees that bed bugs were still in the building as of Friday, but three employees told NOTUS that they were not allowed to work remotely. Department leaders told employees they would have to take personal vacation time if they didn’t want to go to the office, the employees said.

“They treated the building, and then they sent people home again because of offgassing,” one worker told the outlet. “Then they came back. Now there’s more bed bugs.”

Another employee said that they had “returned to an office that was making them sick because the chemicals hadn’t aired out.”

Carson Hawley, acting chief operating officer of APHIS, suggested that employees were to blame for the bed bugs’ return in an email sent to staff on Friday, saying that they engaged in “insufficient compliance regarding personal items,” according to NOTUS.

Read more MAGA Rep Deletes Vile Post After GOP Colleagues Call It Out

“We appreciate your support and compliance so that APHIS can do our part to ensure that Building 3 is bed bug-free,” Hawley said, instructing employees to place their personal belongings in garbage bags and remove them from the building.

A department spokesperson also blamed employee negligence in a statement to the Daily Beast.

“USDA took prompt and robust action several weeks ago,” the spokesperson said. “Unfortunately, personal belongings left in the offices caused further issue. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service management is working with employees to ensure the spaces are emptied for proper mitigation.”

The bed bug infestation comes amid APHIS’s work responding to the bird flu crisis and the spread of the New World screwworm.

“Not allowing employees to telework while the office is infested with bed bugs is an unnecessary significant risk to U.S. cattle health, with experts dealing with the NWS situation forced to go home if they don’t want to get bed bugs,” one employee told NOTUS.