On Tuesday, February 11th, President Trump met with his advisor Elon Musk in the Oval Office of the White House and signed an executive order to continue the large-scale reduction of federal government personnel.
This move is the latest effort by Trump and Musk to shrink the size of the US government and align it with Trump’s policies and agenda.
According to the Associated Press, the executive order signed by Trump aims to implement the “Workforce Optimization Program” of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Trump stated that the program will encourage agencies to limit hiring and significantly reduce the size of the federal government.
When questioned by reporters, Musk acknowledged that there are good people within federal bureaucratic agencies, but they need to be held accountable. He referred to this group of individuals as the “unelected” fourth branch.
He said, “The people voted for significant government reform, and that’s what they’re getting. This is the essence of democracy.”
This is the first time Musk has taken questions from reporters since joining the Trump administration. He has been appointed as a special government employee to assist in executing massive government layoffs.
Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency hold extensive influence over federal agencies. Some are concerned about his accumulation of power and lack of transparency. In response, Musk stated that he is an open book, joking that scrutiny is like a “daily colonoscopy”.
The White House briefing document states, “Agencies will develop plans for significant workforce reductions and identify which agency departments (or the agency itself) may be discontinued or merged as their functions are not required by law.”
The document also stipulates that agencies should “hire no more than one employee for every four positions that become vacant from leaving the federal government.” Exceptions will be made for federal employees deemed “crucial for national security, public safety, law enforcement, and immigration enforcement,” who will be exempt.
Trump and Musk are urging federal employees to voluntarily resign in exchange for economic incentives. Those who resign can continue to receive their salary until September 30th. It has been reported that over 65,000 employees have accepted this resignation offer.
However, this plan has been temporarily halted by a judge pending a review of its legality.