More than 20 employees of the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have resigned en masse, protesting Elon Musk’s leadership. The event has shocked the technology and political world, raising many questions about the future of DOGE and Musk’s influence in the federal government.
What led to the wave of resignations
The resigning employees, including engineers, data scientists and product managers, said they could no longer continue their jobs while having to implement policies that they considered “destroying important public services”. In their resignation letter to White House Chief of Staff Susan Wiles, they emphasized: “We have pledged to serve the American people and uphold the Constitution through many presidents. However, the current reality makes it impossible for us to uphold that commitment.”
Under Elon Musk’s direction, DOGE has been restructuring the federal workforce through layoffs and reassignments or agency closures. The resigning employees say the measures are damaging public services and pose serious risks to government data and technology systems.
Elon Musk’s response
In response to the wave of resignations, Elon Musk took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), claiming that those resigning were “employees from the previous administration who were working remotely and did not return to the office despite President Trump’s request.” He stressed: “If they do not resign, they will eventually be fired.”
Musk also sent an email asking all 2.3 million federal employees to provide a five-point summary of their work in the past week, with a deadline of 11:59 p.m. Monday. He warned that failure to respond would be considered a resignation.
Controversy over Elon Musk’s role in DOGE
Although Elon Musk is considered the head of DOGE, the Trump administration recently asserted that he is not the operator of DOGE, nor is he an employee of the organization. However, during the hearings, many statements from President Trump, Musk and the White House showed that Musk may play a larger role than what was officially announced.
Consequences and future of DOGE
The resignation of more than 20 employees, accounting for nearly a third of DOGE’s total staff, poses a major challenge for the agency in maintaining operations and implementing its goals. This event also raises concerns about the legality and effectiveness of DOGE, especially when the agency was established without Senate approval, causing constitutional concerns. BARRONS.COM
In addition, the hiring of individuals with little experience or a “dark internet history” into key positions within DOGE has fueled discontent and security concerns, raising questions about Musk’s ability to manage and guide the federal government.
Conclusion
The mass resignation of more than 20 DOGE employees is a sign of instability within the agency under Elon Musk’s leadership. Musk’s response to the incident, coupled with the controversy over his actual role in DOGE, raises many challenges for the agency’s future and the relationship between the public and private sectors in governing and reforming the government.
