Musk has been making mass layoffs in a bid to cut federal spendings
In a surprising twist, hundreds of government employees who were laid off just two weeks ago by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have been called back to their jobs.
Only a fortnight earlier, the Trump administration oversaw mass layoffs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, just days later, 180 former employees were stunned to receive an unexpected email instructing them to return to work.
The email that left many employees stunned had the subject line: “Read this email immediately.”
In the body of the message, it read: “You should return to duty under your previous work schedule. We apologize for any disruption this may have caused.”
According to a report by the Associated Press, the unexpected reversal affected employees, including recent hires still in their probationary period. However, it remains unclear exactly how many individuals will be returning to their posts after having their layoffs undone.
As concerns about job security grow among government staff, Musk’s mass cuts to shrink federal spending have left many on edge. His controversial email to all federal employees, asking them to list five achievements from the week, further fueled anxiety. In the email, Musk threatened that failure to respond would be considered a resignation.
This bold move prompted cabinet secretaries to advise employees not to reply, forcing the billionaire to retract his ultimatum and walk back the threat.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter) at the time, Musk commented: “The passing grade is literally just ‘Can you send an email with words that make any sense at all?’ It’s a low bar.” In a follow-up post, he added that the email was simply to see “who had a pulse and two working neurons.”
Under the guidance of Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which operates as an external advisor to the president (without any official decision-making power), significant cuts have been made across many federal agencies.
The Trump administration has confirmed that 80,000 staff members at Veterans Affairs will be let go, following the previous termination of 1,000 employees within the agency.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is also facing a significant reduction, with DOGE advising the elimination of up to 90,000 positions.
Musk’s cost-cutting efforts extend to several other government agencies as well. The Forest Service is losing 3,000 employees, while an additional 5,000 staff members have been terminated across national parks, forests, and other federal public lands.
