Fired Park Ranger Labeled “Liberal Leech” After Aunt’s Facebook Post Goes Viral

RENO — After losing his job to the Trump-Musk administration’s sweeping federal layoffs, former park ranger Riley Rackliffe hoped to find temporary work, a health insurance plan, and maybe—just maybe—a little sympathy. Instead, he got 3,400 Facebook shares calling him a “liberal leech” and a family group chat where no one has responded to his last 17 messages.

The viral post, made by his Aunt Denise—a devout Fox viewer and seller of patriotic wind chimes on Etsy—featured a photo of Rackliffe in his ranger uniform with the caption: “This is what government bloat looks like. He had one job: Watch the dirt. Now he can get a real job.”

“I thought we were close,” Rackliffe said, visibly shaken. “She crocheted me a Smokey Bear pillow when I got hired. Now she’s calling me a socialist mosquito.”

The post has since been picked up by conservative influencers, with some applauding Aunt Denise for “saying what we’re all thinking.” One user replied, “Let him play park ranger on his own dime. My taxes ain’t for hobby jobs.”

DOGE officials declined to comment, but confirmed Rackliffe’s former duties—protecting native species in fragile aquatic ecosystems—were now being handled by a single AI drone nicknamed “Freedom Trout.”

As for Aunt Denise, she’s reportedly started a GoFundMe titled Help Riley Learn to Code, which has raised $11 and one unopened can of Monster Energy.