Republican Congresswoman Victoria Spartz of Indiana held a town hall on Friday evening that quickly erupting into screaming and boos from her constituents.
Newsweek reached out to Spartz’s office via phone Friday for comment and left voicemails.
Why It Matters
Republicans around the country have been hit with a tsunami of protests in their town hall meetings. The avalanche of incidents seemingly started after President Donald Trump‘s inauguration in January.
Since being in office, Trump implemented the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Trump tasked billionaire Elon Musk to lead the department to root out waste, fraud, and abuse within the federal government.
Musk and DOGE alike, have been hit with steady backlash amid their crippling cuts to federal agencies. Amid the backlash, Republican lawmakers have been advised not to hold town halls.
What To Know
Minutes into Spartz’s town hall on Friday, audience members were heard loudly booing and yelling as the lawmaker spoke about DOGE.
Spartz mentioned how she is prioritizing small businesses and consumers paying a smaller percentage of taxes to have growth in the economy. Spartz continued, mentioning how she is planning to also rid the district of “true fraud, waste, and abuse,” a nod to DOGE.
Spartz’s remarks were immediately met with a loud uproar from the crowd.
— Rep. Victoria Spartz (@RepSpartz) March 28, 2025
NOTUS reporter Daniella Diaz posted about the town hall on X, formerly Twitter on Friday saying, “I’m at Victoria Spartz’s town hall in Westfield, Indiana, and she’s getting consistent boos as she mentions DOGE and Elon Musk. ‘If you just came here to scream then we’re not going to have a conversation,’ she says.”
“I obviously can tell you don’t like DOGE,” Spartz said amid screams from the crowd after mentioning the department.
The Republican lawmaker also specifically mentioned Trump’s name when speaking about Social Security, which elicited a huge roar from the audience as well.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump earlier in March on Truth Social: “Paid ‘troublemakers’ are attending Republican Town Hall Meetings. It is all part of the game for the Democrats, but just like our big LANDSLIDE ELECTION, it’s not going to work for them!”
Nadine Smith, journalist-turned-activist, said on Substack: “Voters are furious about the DOGE firings, reckless tariffs driving up prices, picking fights with Canada, and the constant government overreach and intrusion. At town halls, constituents are showing up and speaking out.”
What’s Next
The effects of DOGE’s budget cuts are expected to persist, with additional job losses anticipated.
Update 03/28/25 7:30 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
The post Republican Booed During Fiery Town Hall While Mentioning DOGE appeared first on Newsweek.
