Since returning to office, Donald Trump has been actively making changes, including signing an order to freeze all federal aid, a decision the White House has temporarily reversed. He has also proposed a substantial severance package for federal employees. Interestingly, this severance package closely resembles an email sent by Elon Musk to Twitter employees after acquiring the platform, as noted by journalist Cheyenne Haslett of ABC. She reported, “NEW: The memo sent to government employees this evening offering them buyouts very closely mirrors an email Musk sent to Twitter employees in 2022 — down to the same subject line ‘A Fork in the Road.’”
Haslett pointed out further similarities between the emails. The 2022 message told Twitter employees, “Only exceptional performance will constitute a passing grade,” which parallels Trump’s memo stating, “The federal workforce should be comprised of the best America has to offer. We will insist on excellence at every level.” Additionally, both communications required a simple response to confirm participation: the OPM memo asked employees to reply with “Resign,” while Musk instructed Twitter employees to “click yes on the link below” if they wished to remain with the company.
Both emails concluded with expressions of gratitude: Musk thanked Twitter employees, saying, “Whatever decision you make, thank you for your efforts to make Twitter successful,” while the OPM memo closed with, “Whichever path you choose, we thank you for your service to The United States of America.” It’s also noteworthy that Musk is contributing as an efficiency expert in Trump’s second administration, and it will be intriguing to observe how his influence shapes Trump’s tenure in office.
