On Tuesday, federal workers found themselves in a tricky situation after Elon Musk gave them a new chance to explain their jobs. He warned that if they couldn’t justify their roles, they might lose their jobs. This message confused many workers because previous guidance said responding was optional.
Some workers, who had enough of the uncertainty, chose to leave their jobs. Twenty-one employees from Musk’s newly renamed Department of Government Efficiency (originally the U.S. Digital Service) quit in protest. They felt it was wrong to use their tech skills to cut important government services.
Musk sent an email to all workers asking them to summarize what they did in the past week, but as the deadline approached, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) told workers they didn’t have to respond. Musk, however, responded by saying that ignoring the email would count as quitting. He later said workers would get another chance to reply, and if they didn’t, they might face termination.
Even within the Trump administration, there was confusion about what to do. Some department heads encouraged workers to wait before replying, while others pushed them to respond. The White House press secretary insisted everyone was working together, even though reports suggested that there were disagreements among Trump loyalists.
As the chaos continued, the OPM planned to cut down its staff, reducing the number from 64 to just under a dozen people. Musk’s efforts to cut jobs extended beyond OPM; more than 20,000 workers have already lost their jobs, with many more likely facing layoffs.
The IRS was also warned to prepare for more job cuts soon. Musk’s close advisor even told IRS leaders that he believed fewer employees would be enough to carry out the agency’s tasks. The Department of Interior received orders to reduce its workforce by as much as 40%. The situation is creating a lot of stress for federal workers, emphasizing the real possibility of widespread layoffs across various agencies.
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