Trump Supporter Who Cheered Firing Of National Security Staffers Pleads For Help After Wife Has VA Job Rescinded Due To Hiring Freeze

A Donald Trump supporter from Texas, who appeared to relish in national security staffers "sent packing" by the president, ended up pleading with GOP Sen. Ted Cruz to help his wife after she got caught up in a federal hiring freeze that Trump imposed after being sworn in on Monday.

John Basham, a former city council member in Reno, Texas, went on his X account on Tuesday to implore Trump, Cruz and his 93,000 followers to contact the White House to "fix this error."

In the posting, Basham said his wife was recently hired as a nurse by Veterans Affairs and they prepared to move their family from Fort Worth to Waco. But then Trump signed the executive order implementing the temporary hiring freeze with a few exclusions for military and immigration enforcement.

"Following Trump's Hiring Freeze EO, VA Rescinded Her Job Offer! My Wife Is In Tears & Inconsolable & My Family Is Devastated!," Basham wrote.

"It Has Been My Wife's Dream To Work With Needy Disabled Veterans," he added.

He said he believes what happened to his wife was an "unintended consequence," and that medical professionals at the VA were "NOT The Target Of This EO!"

In another posting, he blamed "bureaucrats" for his wife's plight.

"I'm Told DOD & Medical Profesionals [sic] Were Supposed To Be Exempt But Bureaucrats Are Overapplying The EO To 'Hurt Trump," he said.

Along with the hiring freeze, the president signed a raft of executive orders this week, including reclassifying federal employees as political hires and ending remote work arrangements for all federal departments.

Trump's national security adviser Mike Waltz sent home about 160 National Security Council aides on Wednesday while the White House determines whether they are aligned with the administration's goals and policies.

In a posting on X titled "BREAKING: TRUMP SENDS HOME DEEP STATE & BIDEN NATIONAL SECURITY HOLDOVERS!" Basham expressed his delight at the development, remarked they were "sent packing."

"Career Federal Employees, Commonly Referred To As Detailees, But Notoriously Known As The Deep State, Were Summoned To An All-Staff Call & Told They're Expected To Be Available To WHNSC Senior Directors But DO NOT REPORT TO THE WHITE HOUSE FOR WORK UNLESS NOTIFIED TO DO SO!" he said.

Online, there wasn't much sympathy for Basham among Trump opponents.

"I am so sorry that this is happening to you and so many others; but, why is it that we saw this coming and you didn't?" said Lynne Irwin. "It's not that we don't care; because we do. I sincerely hope that he will prove us wrong; but, that is doubtful," Irwin said on X.