Donald Trump is taking an unusual route to fulfill his campaign promise of downsizing the federal government: on Tuesday, around two million federal employees received an email offering to resign immediately, but still be paid until September, with the deadline set for February 6.
The email, sent by the Office of Personnel Management, which oversees the civil service of the federal government, states that employees need only send a work email with the subject “Resignation” to a specific address. After that, they will be released from their duties, with a few exceptions and receive their pay until September.
Additionally, the email announces that the federal government will be downsized and those who do not resign will not be guaranteed job security or the continued existence of their agency. The email also mentions the introduction of “enhanced behavioral standards” to ensure that the remaining employees are “reliable, loyal and trustworthy.”
The email reminds one of another, sent by Elon Musk, now a member of Trump’s advisory team, after his takeover of Twitter, in which he offered three months of pay in exchange for resignation and expected the remaining employees to “go all in” for the company. The current email even has the same subject as the previous one: “Crossroads”.
Stephen Miller, the deputy chief of staff for policy in the White House, told CNN that federal employees are “mostly left of center” and it is crucial for Trump to “regain control of the government.” The move has already been criticized in the US. In a statement to the US media, the chairman of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) warned that this “purge” will have far-reaching, unintended consequences, which will cause chaos for the Americans who rely on a functioning federal government.