Our reporter
Mass layoffs at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) last week led to emotional scenes outside the agency’s headquarters as employees were ordered to clear their desks within 15 minutes. The abrupt dismissals are part of a wider restructuring effort across federal agencies, raising concerns about job security and governance within the civil service.
The dismissals come in the wake of directives from U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who instructed civilian Pentagon employees to respond to an email from billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk. The email, described as a ‘pulse check,’ required employees to list five tasks they had completed in the previous week. The directive was announced in a video posted on Musk’s social media platform, X, and was addressed to approximately 950,000 civilian Pentagon workers.
The order follows a previous mandate from multiple cabinet secretaries urging employees to ‘pause’ in response to Musk’s initial demand that they reply to his email by a Monday midnight deadline or risk termination. While the federal Office of Personnel Management initially suggested that responding was voluntary, President Donald Trump later indicated that failure to comply could result in dismissal or a form of ‘semi-firing.’
During his first cabinet meeting, Trump reiterated the importance of the directive, with Musk taking the lead while several cabinet members remained silent. Trump speculated that non-responders might have already left their positions, moved on to other jobs, or simply were not where they were supposed to be.
Some federal workers have expressed fears that responses to Musk’s email will be processed through Artificial Intelligence rather than reviewed by human personnel. An internal email from federal human resources on Friday advised employees that they would be required to compile a similar report on their tasks each week.
The shake-up has already impacted other agencies, with a new wave of dismissals reported on Thursday at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the organisation responsible for monitoring oceans and climate patterns. NOAA plays a critical role in tracking extreme weather events, which have been increasingly affecting the U.S. coastline.
Meanwhile, Republican Congressman Keith Self faced backlash at a town hall meeting in his Texas district, as constituents voiced their frustrations over the ongoing upheaval.
Musk, who has been repeatedly mocked on Saturday Night Live for his perceived influence over Trump, publicly acknowledged Hegseth’s actions by reposting his video with the message: ‘Much appreciated @SecDef Hegseth!’ accompanied by saluting and American flag emojis.
With federal agencies facing increasing uncertainty, the recent events have sparked fresh debate over the balance of power between the private sector and the government, and the future of public sector employment in the U.S.
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