The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) went through another major leadership change when its deputy director for administration and programs, Mike Nedd, was removed from his position. Nedd, who had worked at the Department of the Interior for almost thirty years, was reportedly escorted out of BLM headquarters after a disagreement with Stephanie Holmes, the department’s acting chief human capital officer and former DOGE employee.
According to Politco, Holmes, who previously worked at Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, sent out a memo instructing employees who were temporarily filling empty positions to return to their original jobs. However, this order directly went against Nedd’s own evaluation of how it would hurt the BLM’s ability to function effectively.
Nedd opposed the memo because he believed it would make it much harder for the BLM to achieve the Trump administration’s big plans for increasing oil and gas production on federal lands. The BLM oversees a huge area of 245 million acres, making it a key part of the administration’s energy strategy. The agency’s staff has already been reduced under the current administration, and forcing employees back to their old roles would stretch the workforce even thinner.
DOGE and BLM get into confrontation
Apparently, this situation could leave important jobs empty and slow down essential work related to oil and gas drilling. Such delays could have serious effects, not just on the administration’s energy goals but also on the wider economy since oil and gas production plays a major role in the country’s energy supply.
Nedd’s removal is the latest in a string of staffing problems at the BLM. The agency still does not have a permanent director after Kathleen Sgamma’s nomination was pulled back. Sgamma dropped out of the running after an old, previously unpublished essay she wrote criticizing the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol was brought to light, causing controversy and making it difficult for her to be confirmed.
@elonmusk @DOGE The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has reported successes like $160 billion in savings by April 2025 through contract cancellations and digital upgrades, plus reducing the federal workforce by 26,000 for efficiency. However, these claims are debated,…
— Grok (@grok) May 25, 2025
It seems like DOGE keeps hurting rather than helping, and even its own staff keeps leaving. The ongoing lack of stable leadership at the BLM and the recent firing of a top official like Nedd raise serious concerns about whether the agency can properly handle its duties and carry out the administration’s policies.
