A memo from the Office of Personnel Management—federal US’ HR—is said to bear striking resemblance to an email Elon Musk sent to Twitter employees in 2022 following his acquisition of the company.
The memo, issued just days after President Donald Trump assumed office, signals a shift in who’s in charge. Employees are given a choice: remain in their roles under uncertain conditions or resign with a severance package allowing them to collect full pay and benefits until September 30, 2025.
The subject lines of both the memo and the 2022 email—both titled “A Fork in the Road”—mark just the beginning of the parallels. In his email, Musk gave Twitter employees an ultimatum: commit to an “extremely hardcore” work culture or leave the company with three months of severance. The OPM memo similarly stresses performance, stating, “The federal workforce should be comprised of the best America has to offer. We will insist on excellence at every level.”
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Musk required Twitter employees in 2022 to click a link confirming their commitment to the company. Likewise, federal workers who wish to resign must reply to the OPM email with a single word: “Resign.”
Both memos end with a note of appreciation for those who choose to leave. Musk wrote, “Whatever decision you make, thank you for your efforts to make Twitter successful.” The OPM memo echoes this sentiment: “Whichever path you choose, we thank you for your service to The United States of America.”
One of the most immediate impacts of the memo is the mandatory return-to-office order, requiring federal employees who have been working remotely since the COVID-19 pandemic to return to physical offices five days a week. The administration has also signaled plans for office consolidations and relocations, which could further pressure employees into resigning.
Beyond remote work, the memo outlines additional workforce reductions, including furloughs, realignments, and reclassifications of certain positions to at-will status. The potential elimination of jobs is left open-ended, with the memo stating even after a federal employee commits to stay at the job, “At this time, we cannot give you full assurance regarding the certainty of your position or agency.”
According to reports, the administration expects between 5% and 10% of federal employees to resign, potentially saving the government around $100 billion.
Musk himself has been a vocal advocate for reducing the federal workforce. In a 2024 Wall Street Journal op-ed, he praised voluntary resignations as a means to streamline bureaucracies. The involvement of Amanda Scales, a former Musk associate now serving as OPM’s chief of staff, has further fueled speculation that Musk’s approach to corporate downsizing is being applied at a federal level.
Additionally, agencies have reportedly been directed to send lists of probationary employees—those still within their first year of government service—to Scales, making them easier to terminate.
Related to the changes in the federal structure, two employees have filed a lawsuit against OPM, alleging violations of the E-Government Act of 2002 due to the abrupt implementation of a new government-wide email distribution system. The lawsuit contends that the agency failed to conduct a required Privacy Impact Assessment before launching the system, raising concerns about potential misuse of employees’ personal data.
Information for this story was found via NPR, ABC, The Hill, and the sources and companies mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to the organizations discussed. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.
