A Massachusetts federal judge has issued a temporary injunction on a bold initiative spearheaded by billionaire Elon Musk to significantly reduce the size of the US government workforce. The plan, which offered federal employees eight months’ salary to resign voluntarily, was originally set to expire at midnight on Thursday. However, the deadline has now been extended to Monday, pending a court hearing led by US District Judge George O’Toole.
Labour unions, along with Democratic lawmakers, have challenged the legality of Musk’s proposal, arguing that threatening mass firings to push workers out of government service is not only unethical but potentially illegal.
Elon Musk’s Role in the Federal Government Musk, a South African-born entrepreneur and the world’s richest person, has become an influential force in Washington. He currently oversees the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an entity created under the Trump administration with the goal of slashing government bureaucracy.
Despite its ambitious goals, DOGE has faced significant resistance. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that only about 40,000 federal employees—out of over two million—had accepted the buyout offer. Unions representing approximately 800,000 civil servants are now fighting the initiative in court, claiming it is an unlawful attempt to dismantle crucial government institutions.
‘Wasteful Spending’ or Government Sabotage? The campaign to cut government spending, strongly supported by former President Donald Trump and his aides, has already disrupted essential departments. One of the hardest-hit agencies is USAID, the government’s humanitarian aid branch, which has seen its overseas staff recalled and its programs labeled “wasteful” by right-wing media.
A union official revealed that USAID’s global workforce is expected to shrink from over 10,000 employees to fewer than 300. Randy Chester, Vice President of the American Foreign Service Association, warned that critical operations, such as food distribution, would soon become impossible due to a lack of personnel.
Robin Thurston of Democracy Forward, a watchdog group that has sued the Trump administration over USAID layoffs, condemned the “unlawful seizure of this agency by the Trump-Vance administration,” arguing that it violates the fundamental principles of the separation of powers.
Beyond USAID, other agencies are also under fire. Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to shut down the Department of Education entirely, while inducements to resign have even been extended to intelligence agencies like the CIA.
One government official in charge of managing federal properties announced that the real estate portfolio—excluding Department of Defense buildings—should be reduced by at least 50%.
Musk’s Influence on Government Data Access The Musk-led initiative has also raised concerns over data security. Reports suggest Musk has gained access to classified government information, including the Treasury Department’s payment systems. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent attempted to downplay these fears, telling Bloomberg TV that only two employees—who work directly with Musk—have read-only access to the data.
However, controversy erupted when it was revealed that one of those employees had a history of promoting racist and eugenicist ideologies on social media. That individual has since resigned, according to The Wall Street Journal.
‘Chill’ or a Massive Con? Questions continue to swirl around the legality of the buyout offer, with experts debating whether Trump has the authority to enforce such mass resignations. The plan was first introduced via an email to government employees titled “Fork in the Road”—the same phrase Musk used when he took over Twitter in 2022 and rebranded it as X.
Musk has promoted the buyout as a unique opportunity for federal employees, encouraging them to “take the vacation you always wanted, or just watch movies and chill, while receiving your full government pay and benefits.”
However, union leaders warn that without congressional approval, the deal may be worthless. Everett Kelley, President of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), cautioned, “Federal employees shouldn’t be misled by slick talk from unelected billionaires and their lackeys.”
An anonymous employee from the US Office of Personnel Management alleged that the strategy behind the buyouts is to induce mass panic among workers. “We’re trying to instill a panic so that people just walk out the door and leave government in a crippled state,” the employee told AFP.
As Monday’s court hearing approaches, the fate of Musk’s radical downsizing plan remains uncertain. Will the courts uphold his vision of a leaner federal government, or will they block what critics are calling an unconstitutional power grab? The decision could have long-lasting implications for the future of the US government workforce.
