BELTON, Mo. — Ariel Mollhagen couldn’t hear what U.S. Rep. Mark Alford was saying but she didn’t really need to. The crowd’s reaction told the story.

During an extraordinarily heated town hall Monday, Alford praised President Donald Trump and defended Elon Musk as he slashes his way through the federal workforce – including firings in the Kansas City region. At every turn, an angry crowd of dozens shouted their displeasure with the second-term Missouri Republican.

Some 30,000 people work for the federal government across the Kansas City metro. Cuts have already been made in some agencies; about 100 local Internal Revenue Service workers were fired last week.

“Just because you have a government job doesn’t mean it’s a lifetime appointment like a Supreme Court,” Alford, who represents a wide swath of Missouri southeast of Kansas City, said at one point during the town hall at a coffee shop in downtown Belton.

“So I would encourage anyone who finds themselves in this situation to realize that we are going to get this economy turning again. There are jobs available. God has a plan and purpose for your life.”

At that, the crowd exploded into yelling and screaming. “We don’t want your God!” a woman screamed. “Our God is Christian!” yelled another.

It went on like this for about an hour and a half.

About 75 people made it into Random’s Coffee for the event. Dozens more outside crowded around the entrance. Nearly all wanted to give Alford a piece of their mind.

Among those on the outside was Mollhagen, who was fired from the Natural Resources Conservation Service on Valentine’s Day. A soil conservation technician, she was a probationary employee who had just been with the agency for 10 months.

Mollhagen noted that given her master’s degree in soil science, she was actually overqualified, making her a good deal for the taxpayers. Now she plans to become more politically active before eventually searching for another job.

“This is like breaking things that were not easy to build and will not be easy to repair,” Mollhagen said, adding that cuts will be felt by “the most vulnerable people, left, right and center.”

Daniel Scharpenburg, 1st vice president at National Treasury Employees Union Chapter 66, which represents IRS workers in Kansas City, asked Alford how many federal employees in the metro should be fired without cause. NTEU 66 had braced for up to 1,000 probationary workers to be terminated in Kansas City, though last week’s cuts fell short of that.

Alford responded that many government jobs are important, but likened Trump’s election to a change of ownership at a business that comes with a search for waste, abuse, and fraud.

“Government employees are going to be let go and that’s just the reality,” Alford said. “I feel bad that people have been let go, I understand that.”

Alford, who spent decades as an anchor at Fox 4 before running for office, said he had witnessed layoffs during his time at the station. “I get it, I understand it,” he said as he was heckled.

In an interview, Scharpenburg said federal workers “don’t need thoughts and prayers.” What workers need, he said, is for people to stand up for them and make clear that Musk, the billionaire who Trump put in charge of the Department of Government Efficiency initiative, isn’t the president.

“His answer was not a real answer,” Scharpenburg said.

Kaitlyn, who works for the Social Security Administration in Kansas City and asked to be identified by her first name because she is concerned about repercussions at work, said she and her coworkers all wonder whether they will be fired. Kaitlyn said she fields phone calls from the public – about 45 a day – emphasizing that if she and others are let go, customer service will suffer.

“I wake up every single day just wondering if I have a job tomorrow,” she said.

As for Alford, the congressman chooses not to see how “all of these policies affect people across the board.”

“This is hurting and I think he was kind of dismissive,” Kaitlyn said.

Alford also kept the door open to changes in Medicaid, which provides health coverage for low-income individuals (Medicare covers seniors). He voiced support for work requirements in Medicaid and that he supports efforts to root out “waste, fraud and abuse.”

“There are some things in Medicaid that can be reformed,” Alford said.

The comment elicited multiple comments from individuals in the audience, including “do it through Congress, not Elon.”

‘30 seconds of yelling’

Monday’s town hall marked a rare, large hostile reception for Alford, who has a strong grip on Missouri’s 4th Congressional District. He won reelection, 71% to 26%, in November.

The Missouri Democratic Party had encouraged attendance, including posting guidance and suggested questions on social media. Numerous federal workers and union representatives appeared to be in the audience.

As he kicked off the event, Alford said he would insist on a “civil discussion” and threatened to have police remove disrupters. Alford said he would only answer written questions, angering the crowd, but he bent that rule as time went on.

At one point, the crowd outside began shouting “hey hey ho ho Elon Musk has got to go” – leading to a brief confrontation between police officers and individuals in the doorway as the officers attempted to close the door.

Alford, perhaps given his years on television, appeared outwardly unperturbed and maintained a polished persona throughout the event, which seemed to anger the audience further.

“Let’s have 30 seconds of yelling while I drink a cup of coffee,” Alford said as he took a drink.

Several people obliged. “You think this is funny, Mark!” one man yelled.

As the event wound down, Alford struggled to quiet the audience amid shouting.

“Can I have your attention, please? Class? Class?” Alford said, as though he were a teacher trying to calm students.

“You work for us!” someone shouted.

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