US Forest Service Chief Randy Moore announces retirement amid agency layoffs

U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore told employees he will be retiring from the agency in the upcoming weeks amid ongoing cuts by President Donald Trump's administration.

In a letter sent to employees Wednesday and obtained by USA TODAY, Moore said he would be retiring from the agency on March 3 after more than four decades working for the Forest Service. 

Moore’s announcement comes as 3,400 employees have already been laid off from the agency, about 10% of its total workforce.

“As part of a broader effort to reduce the size of the federal government, we parted ways with colleagues we worked alongside, who successfully contributed to our mission, and who were valued members of our Forest Service team,” he said. “The past several weeks has been incredibly difficult.”

According to its website, the Forest Service is an agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture and is tasked with managing more than 190 million acres of national forests and grasslands.

“If you are feeling uncertainty, frustration, or loss, you are not alone. These are real and valid emotions that I am feeling, too. Please take care of yourselves and each other,” Moore's letter continued.

A career of more than four decades

Moore became the first Black Forest Service chief in 2021 after replacing Vicki Christiansen, who was appointed during Trump’s first term. His appointment came after more than four decades in the Forest Service.

Before becoming chief, he was a regional forester in the Pacific Southwest region in California and the Eastern region, which is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Moore began his career at the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service in North Dakota and joined the Forest Service in 1981.

“As I end my career and reflect on it, I am validated in knowing and believing that the Forest Service is about its people and its worthy mission,” Moore said. "Our impact is global in nature and our mission reaches people around the world. I am so proud of the work we have done together.”

Deep cuts to agency face criticism from some members of Congress

As cuts to the Forest Service were announced by the Trump administration, several members of Congress representing Colorado sent a Feb. 14 letter to Trump saying cuts could leave the region unprepared to face the upcoming wildfire season.

‘The decision will destabilize the agency and the rural communities they serve. Therefore, we urge you to reinstate these employees immediately,” the letter said. “The decision to terminate these employees reveals a complete disregard for the value of these public servants and the roles they fill.”

On Wednesday Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. held a press conference criticizing the cuts to the National Park Service and Forest Service, among others.

"Elon Musk and Donald Trump are proving every single day they don’t know what they are doing, they don’t know what our federal workers do, and they don’t care if their firing spree ends up burning down something important," Murray said.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected] and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.