But Poole, an Air Force veteran who now works as a civilian trainer, says he's lost all trust in the government as President Donald Trump pushes a now-or-never buyout on federal workers and Democrats seem powerless to stop him.

A Trump administration spokesperson said more than 40,000 federal employees had taken the buyout and the number is "growing."

Tens of thousands of government workers have already agreed to accept a "deferred resignation," but legal experts are calling its validity into question as it sidesteps Congress.