It started with a simple print job. That’s all Matthew DePernan seemingly wanted. But when a Michigan Office Depot employee refused to print his poster, calling it “political propaganda,” things blew up fast. DePernan, a Republican activist, filmed the exchange and posted it online. Suddenly, what should’ve been a routine customer service issue became a national firestorm.
The employee (later identified as a manager) stays calm but firm in the video. “We don’t print that here,” she says. When pressed, she explains that company policy forbids political materials. Another worker suggests coming back on Monday to talk to the general manager.
The internet didn’t wait. Outrage spread, and calls for boycotts flooded social media. Office Depot scrambled: They fired the employee, issued apologies, and tried to contain the damage. Now everyone’s arguing — was the employee wrong? Was DePernan?
The only clear loser so far is the company caught in the middle.
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Office Depot responded quickly after the video spread, but many felt it missed the mark.
The company called the employee’s actions “completely unacceptable and insensitive,” apologized to the shopper, and fired the worker. They pledged an “[aggressive] investigation” and extra staff training to prevent similar incidents.
But online, skepticism ran high. Critics argued Office Depot caved to outside pressure, with some suggesting the whole thing was staged. “This was a setup that you walked into with ease,” TV star Tami Roman posted angrily. “The cameras were already rolling while asking the question! This lady should not have been fired! Now we got to boycott you.”
The backlash kept growing as users questioned whether the firing was fair.
Office Depot had to turn off comments on Instagram after being slammed by angry posts. Their apology backfired badly, and critics say it just made things worse. The company claims it was just enforcing policy. However, that same policy lets workers refuse print jobs, including political ones. So why fire the employee? To many, it looks like a knee-jerk reaction from a company scrambling to quiet the online outrage.
According to an @officedepot employee, this is “Political Propaganda ” & she refused to print . Office Depot turns off their comments as a response, as of now.. pic.twitter.com/rmdTpBQYb1
— Ⱥmerican Trucker 🇺🇸 (@taylorbilt) September 13, 2025
“I see a lawsuit brewing,” one commenter predicted, pointing out that Office Depot’s policies might protect the fired worker. Others questioned why the store didn’t just steer the customer to a self-service printer instead of blaming the employee.
This all unfolds as workplaces face pressure to manage employees’ political views. In recent weeks, teachers, firefighters, and even a Secret Service staffer have lost jobs over comments about the exact political figure tied to this incident.
But here, the situation looks even less clear. Was this worker actually breaking company rules? Or was she filmed on purpose because she didn’t agree with a political view? Many people online are saying that. Calls to boycott Office Depot keep spreading fast.
Ironically, a company that sells smooth paper is tangled in a rough situation.
