'You seem like a clown': Fired government worker reacts to GOP senator's brutal putdown

Mack Schroeder, a Department of Health and Human Services employee who was unceremoniously fired as part of Elon Musk's DOGE cuts, appeared on CNN to hit back at a senator's reaction to his plight.

Schroeder took part in protests on Capitol Hill Wednesday when he approached Sen Jim Banks (R-IN) as the Republican made his way toward a congressional elevator.

"Hi, I was a worker at HHS. I was fired illegally on February 14th," Schroeder said as the incident was caught on tape. "There are many people who are not getting social service programs, especially people with disabilities. Are you going to do anything to stop what's happening?"

Banks shot back, "You probably deserved it ... because you seem like a clown," as the elevator doors closed.

CNN's Boris Sanchez read a statement that Banks posted to X, writing, "I have no sympathy for left-wing activists who have been let go from overpaid positions that should never have existed. I do have sympathy for the hardworking Hoosiers whose tax dollars have been wasted on bankrolling these positions."

"I was really just there to not even talk about getting my job back or being reinstated," Schroeder began. "I really just wanted to ask him what he was doing to ensure the residents in his state are getting the services that they're entitled to, as we cut workers who are really ensuring that grants are going out the door to programs, in my case, working on programs that support people with disabilities and older adults.

"So, I was hoping he would have some sort of plan to say, 'This is why we're cutting workers. This is how we're going to continue supporting residents in Indiana.'"

Schroeder said his department made sure grants supported Meals on Wheels for older adults, programs that supported independent living for people with disabilities, and programs that provided heating to low-income Americans.

"Much like all other civil servants, I am nonpartisan," Schroeder said, taking issue with being called a left-wing activist. "I would like to know if if he actually knows what I was doing, and without people like me and similar folks who are working on budgets for those programs, how is he going to get those services to constituents who desperately need them?"

Schroeder added, "If there's a good plan to increase efficiency by cutting workers, I haven't seen it yet."

Watch the clip below or at this link via CNN.