Elon Musk has warned critics ‘the matrix is being reprogrammed’ as he sets about dismantling federal government agencies through mass layoffs which could see as much as 40 per cent of the workforce cut.
His sweeping overhaul has been made possible with President Donald Trump‘s blessing, giving the Department of Government Efficiency all the power and tools it needs to make good on his election promise.
Musk used a Star Trek reference on Wednesday evening to praise his team for reprogramming the ‘matrix… to make success one of the possible outcomes.’
‘They did not expect this,’ he wrote. ‘K Maru,’ he added, referencing the Star Trek training exercise of overcoming an ‘unwinnable’ task.
The billionaire Tesla founder and ‘First Buddy’ also shared several videos highlighting the achievements of DOGE during Trump’s first month in office.
Musk’s reference to the ‘matrix’ appears to be related to a theory that the world is being manipulated and controlled by shadowy figures. The movie of the same name depicts a dystopian future in which humanity is trapped inside a simulation of reality created by machines – otherwise known as ‘The Matrix.’
Staff across several departments received an email from an official within the Office of Personnel Management – now run by Musk’s allies – which confirmed widespread layoffs are underway.
These have been described as a ‘reduction in force.’
Elon Musk has set about dismantling federal government agencies through mass layoffs which could see as much as 40 per cent of the workforce cut, warning critics that ‘the matrix is being reprogrammed’
Staff across several departments received an email from an official within the Office of Personnel Management – now run by Musk’s allies – which confirmed widespread layoffs are underway
Insiders say the White House intends to strip agency budgets by up to 40 per cent, meaning there will be significant staff cuts.
According to the Washington Post, departments which are favored by President Trump will likely escape the brunt of the changes – namely the Defense Department and the Homeland Security Department.
White House officials have not confirmed that figure and insiders say there is still room for that to fluctuate.
During Musk’s X posting spree on Wednesday night, he shared a video of a press conference President Trump held earlier in the day commending the work DOGE has already undertaken.
‘I want to commend Elon because he’s done a fantastic – he doesn’t need this,’ Trump said. ‘He’s abused by you people every day. He’s found more things than anybody could find. He’s got the credibility to do it.
‘His group of people, they started off with 12, I call them 12 geniuses. They started off with 12, they went to 20, and 25 and now they’re up to almost 100. People are joining to help them. This is a massive fraud that’s taken place.’
On Tuesday, President Trump signed a new executive order which directed agency heads to ‘promptly undertake preparations to initiate large-scale reductions in force.’
Musk’s DOGE, along with OPM, has also been granted sweeping powers to assert greater control over the hiring of any federal employee.
During Musk’s X posting spree on Wednesday night, he shared a video of a press conference President Trump held earlier in the day commending the work DOGE has already undertaken
President Trump put in place a 90 day hiring freeze when he returned to the White House for his second term.
‘The people voted for major government reform and that’s what the people are going to get,’ Musk said on Tuesday, from the Oval Office.
‘They’re going to get what they voted for.’
One the tactics includes ridding departments of employees who are still in their probationary periods – which can last up to two years in some agencies.
These workers have limited recourse available to them to push back on the decision, and amount to seven per cent of the full civilian workforce of two million.
But the purge has not been without hiccups along the way. Some staff at the Small Business Association reported they received an email Monday informing them they’d been terminated, only to get a follow up email revoking it.
‘If you are in receipt of the initial notice,’ the email read, ‘your employment has not been terminated as was erroneously indicated in the initial notice.’
Then on Tuesday came a third email that informed them they were, in fact, being let go.
Musk used a Star Trek reference on Wednesday evening to praise his team for reprogramming the ‘matrix… to make success one of the possible outcomes’
The purge has not been without hiccups along the way, with staff protesting Musk and his department
Staff at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau alleged to the Post they received an email terminating their contracts that appeared to be sent in error, including unfinished placeholds that read ‘[EmployeeFirstName] [EmployeeLastName]’ and noting, ‘I am removing you from your position of [JobTitle].’
The mass layoffs are taking place amid multiple lawsuits to stop DOGE’s efforts at reshaping federal agencies.
On Wednesday, a federal judge lifted the temporary freeze on President Trump’s ‘buyout’ offer to federal workers as the administration looks to shrink the workforce.
A union which represents hundreds of thousands of federal workers and others sued last week to stop the deferred buyout offer’s February 6 deadline.
More than 65,000 workers had accepted the offer as of Friday, according to an administration official familiar with the matter even as the deadline was temporarily paused in court.
DOGE estimated between five and 10 percent of government workers would take the offer and that it would save an estimated $100 billion a year.
The offer as presented by the OPM gave all federal workers the option to resign from their current position but remain on the payroll with all benefits until September 30.
The email gave notice that most federal employees were to return to work at offices five days a week. For those who took the offer, they would be exempted from in-person work requirements.
