Elon Musk vs. The Government: Who’s Really Firing Federal Workers?

Elon Musk wants you to know he is not personally laying off thousands of federal employees. He’s just advising the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on how to do it better—because nothing says efficiency like a billionaire telling middle-class workers they’re redundant.

After reports of mass federal layoffs, Musk had to set the record straight to Republican lawmakers: It’s not his fault. The job cuts? That’s on the agencies themselves. But let’s be real—when you appoint a guy who openly calls government spending “wasteful” to influence federal budget decisions, you probably aren’t expecting a hiring spree.

President Trump, perhaps realizing that Musk’s cost-cutting enthusiasm might be a PR nightmare, told his department heads to be selective with the firings. Instead of just hitting “delete” on an entire workforce, maybe do some fine-tuning.

Musk, for his part, remains committed to making the government run more like a business—except, you know, without the messy parts like unions, job security, or oversight.

So, are these layoffs part of a well-planned strategy or just another case of Musk disrupting an industry he barely understands? Either way, thousands of workers are left wondering if their jobs are next on the chopping block. And with the government now acting like a tech startup, it might not be long before Washington workers start updating their LinkedIn profiles.