How it may be ‘Twitter moment’ for the US government employees after President Donald Trump’s ‘February 6 deadline email’

US President Donald Trump has launched a sweeping federal workforce overhaul Tuesday, mirroring Elon Musk's controversial 2022 Twitter strategy by offering workers a stark choice: commit to new performance demands or accept a buyout package.
In an email sent to millions of federal employees, the Trump administration offered eight months of salary and benefits through September to those who agree to resign by February 6. The move parallels Musk's "extremely hardcore" ultimatum to Twitter staff, which resulted in thousands of departures from the social media platform.
Both initiatives share the same "fork in the road" messaging, requiring employees to either embrace a culture of heightened performance standards and in-office work or leave their positions. The administration expects roughly 200,000 workers—about 10% of the federal workforce—to accept the buyout offer, potentially saving up to $100 billion.
For those who stay, the Office of Personnel Management warned of future downsizing and promised to "swiftly address under-performers," echoing Musk's demand for "exceptional performance" at Twitter. The administration also mandated a five-day return to office policy, similar to Musk's in-person work requirements.
However, the scale and stakes differ significantly. While Musk's strategy affected approximately 7,800 Twitter employees, Trump's initiative targets a workforce of 2.3 million federal employees. Critics warn that mass departures could disrupt essential government services, from Social Security processing to disaster response.
The buyout offer excludes certain critical roles, including postal workers, military personnel, immigration officials, and some national security workers.