Musk Seeks to Curb Federal Employees Before 'Buyout' Deadline
Numerous government employees are currently facing the challenge of figuring out their next steps.
TroibNews 
Elon Musk has declared an offensive against the bureaucracy, intensifying his efforts as a Thursday deadline looms for federal employees to accept a "buyout." His strategy appears aimed at demoralizing and wearing down opposition.
Within the government, officials from President Donald Trump’s administration have been actively encouraging staff to accept the deferred resignation program. They are luring employees with promises of paid vacations while simultaneously warning of potential layoffs for those who choose to stay. In parallel, Musk has added to the pressure with provocative comments online.
In a Tuesday email sent to certain federal employees, which was reviewed by PMG, a commissioner from a Musk-supported department indicated the consequences of not participating in the buyout. Josh Gruenbaum, who oversees the Federal Acquisition Service at the General Services Administration, asserted that “we won’t need staff in certain areas of the country” and “will be cutting redundant business functions and associated staffing.” He also noted, “we’re also considering how we can utilize AI in our portfolios.”
Many government employees are now uncertain about their next steps. While some have chosen to accept the buyout, others are becoming increasingly resistant as the deadline approaches. They express skepticism about the integrity of the offer, which could lead to an eventual clash between Musk and the bureaucracy.
“I don’t think this offer is meaningful. I also don’t think many people will take it,” remarked David Casserly, an employee at the Department of Labor, while clarifying he spoke solely for himself. “If you have to send us 10 emails that say this is totally not a scam, then it’s probably a scam.”
Supporters of Trump allege that this intimidation campaign is intentional, part of a broad effort by the president to streamline the federal workforce.
“They realized that you can kind of turn up the heat in a lot of these departments and people will leave, especially because the federal workforce is older,” explained a former Trump official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “You have a glut of Boomers now and they’re reaching retirement age. And if you can force them out of the door, you don’t have to replace them, and it’s one way to reduce the government.”
A representative from Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency declined to comment, while a spokesperson for the GSA stated the department is “fully committed to providing our employees with all the information available so that they can make the best decision for themselves and their families.”
The Trump administration has set a target for 5 to 10 percent of federal employees to opt for deferred resignations, with Musk’s super PAC, America PAC, projecting potential savings of $100 billion if these benchmarks are met. However, as of Wednesday, only 1 percent of employees had accepted the buyout offer.
As the Thursday deadline approached, Musk and Trump officials ramped up their pressure tactics on career employees. Musk proclaimed to his vast audience of 216 million followers on the social media platform X that DOGE is “the wood chipper for bureaucracy.” He accused Treasury employees of “breaking the law every hour of every day,” denounced the U.S. Agency for International Development as a “viper’s nest of radical-left marxists who hate America,” and disparaged government workers as unintelligent.
Musk frequently framed his initiatives to reduce the government workforce in dramatic terms, asserting on X that Americans have “one shot” to end the “rule of the bureaucrats” and restore the “rule of the people.”
One GSA employee described the atmosphere as one of confusion and fear, suggesting that the constant barrage of messages from Trump officials feels like pointing a “gun at people” while claiming “this is a voluntary resignation.” Another employee noted, “half my office was in tears” during a recent day.
Last week, government workers received emails emphasizing that the deferred resignation offer is “valid, lawful, and will be honored” and that they can enjoy a “dream destination” while on leave.
Earlier in the week, federal employees were further reminded that the offer would expire at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, with a firm statement that there “will NOT be an extension of this program.” The Department of Education even went to the extent of sending a message about the buyout to the personal email of an employee currently on leave.
Musk’s tactics at DOGE mirror his previous actions at the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, where he claimed to have reduced the staff by 80 percent and faced lawsuits from employees alleging unpaid severance. While a U.S. judge dismissed one such case, others remain in various stages of legal proceedings.
Musk’s controversial legacy at Twitter has impacted his current efforts; many federal employees and their representatives express distrust in the buyout's reliability.
“The offer that we’ve been presented with is not something I see a lot of people taking,” commented Sheria Smith, union president of Local 252 at the American Federation of Government Employees. “It was really, really insulting, frankly. It insulted our work ethic and insulted our commitment to our jobs.”
Smith noted that among the 2,000 members she represents, fewer than 10 have sought the union's guidance regarding the offer. She added that only a small number are considering it, mainly those who already intended to depart the agency.
Rohan Mehta contributed to this report for TROIB News
Within the government, officials from President Donald Trump’s administration have been actively encouraging staff to accept the deferred resignation program. They are luring employees with promises of paid vacations while simultaneously warning of potential layoffs for those who choose to stay. In parallel, Musk has added to the pressure with provocative comments online.
In a Tuesday email sent to certain federal employees, which was reviewed by PMG, a commissioner from a Musk-supported department indicated the consequences of not participating in the buyout. Josh Gruenbaum, who oversees the Federal Acquisition Service at the General Services Administration, asserted that “we won’t need staff in certain areas of the country” and “will be cutting redundant business functions and associated staffing.” He also noted, “we’re also considering how we can utilize AI in our portfolios.”
Many government employees are now uncertain about their next steps. While some have chosen to accept the buyout, others are becoming increasingly resistant as the deadline approaches. They express skepticism about the integrity of the offer, which could lead to an eventual clash between Musk and the bureaucracy.
“I don’t think this offer is meaningful. I also don’t think many people will take it,” remarked David Casserly, an employee at the Department of Labor, while clarifying he spoke solely for himself. “If you have to send us 10 emails that say this is totally not a scam, then it’s probably a scam.”
Supporters of Trump allege that this intimidation campaign is intentional, part of a broad effort by the president to streamline the federal workforce.
“They realized that you can kind of turn up the heat in a lot of these departments and people will leave, especially because the federal workforce is older,” explained a former Trump official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “You have a glut of Boomers now and they’re reaching retirement age. And if you can force them out of the door, you don’t have to replace them, and it’s one way to reduce the government.”
A representative from Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency declined to comment, while a spokesperson for the GSA stated the department is “fully committed to providing our employees with all the information available so that they can make the best decision for themselves and their families.”
The Trump administration has set a target for 5 to 10 percent of federal employees to opt for deferred resignations, with Musk’s super PAC, America PAC, projecting potential savings of $100 billion if these benchmarks are met. However, as of Wednesday, only 1 percent of employees had accepted the buyout offer.
As the Thursday deadline approached, Musk and Trump officials ramped up their pressure tactics on career employees. Musk proclaimed to his vast audience of 216 million followers on the social media platform X that DOGE is “the wood chipper for bureaucracy.” He accused Treasury employees of “breaking the law every hour of every day,” denounced the U.S. Agency for International Development as a “viper’s nest of radical-left marxists who hate America,” and disparaged government workers as unintelligent.
Musk frequently framed his initiatives to reduce the government workforce in dramatic terms, asserting on X that Americans have “one shot” to end the “rule of the bureaucrats” and restore the “rule of the people.”
One GSA employee described the atmosphere as one of confusion and fear, suggesting that the constant barrage of messages from Trump officials feels like pointing a “gun at people” while claiming “this is a voluntary resignation.” Another employee noted, “half my office was in tears” during a recent day.
Last week, government workers received emails emphasizing that the deferred resignation offer is “valid, lawful, and will be honored” and that they can enjoy a “dream destination” while on leave.
Earlier in the week, federal employees were further reminded that the offer would expire at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, with a firm statement that there “will NOT be an extension of this program.” The Department of Education even went to the extent of sending a message about the buyout to the personal email of an employee currently on leave.
Musk’s tactics at DOGE mirror his previous actions at the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, where he claimed to have reduced the staff by 80 percent and faced lawsuits from employees alleging unpaid severance. While a U.S. judge dismissed one such case, others remain in various stages of legal proceedings.
Musk’s controversial legacy at Twitter has impacted his current efforts; many federal employees and their representatives express distrust in the buyout's reliability.
“The offer that we’ve been presented with is not something I see a lot of people taking,” commented Sheria Smith, union president of Local 252 at the American Federation of Government Employees. “It was really, really insulting, frankly. It insulted our work ethic and insulted our commitment to our jobs.”
Smith noted that among the 2,000 members she represents, fewer than 10 have sought the union's guidance regarding the offer. She added that only a small number are considering it, mainly those who already intended to depart the agency.
Rohan Mehta contributed to this report for TROIB News
