Elon Musk’s recent public targeting of federal employees has left many in fear for their safety and livelihoods. The controversy began when President-elect Donald Trump announced that Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy would recommend major federal workforce cuts. Shortly after, Musk reposted two posts on X (formerly Twitter) revealing the names and roles of four climate-related government employees, resulting in a surge of online harassment toward the individuals.
The posts, viewed tens of millions of times, described the roles as “fake jobs.” While the information shared was publicly available, these employees worked in low-profile positions not typically exposed to public scrutiny. At least one of the targeted individuals has since deactivated her social media accounts.
Musk’s comments, such as calling one position “so many fake jobs,” triggered a flood of negative responses. Critics charged the employees being targeted of profiting from unwarranted government expenditure, with one user commenting, “The free ride is finished.”
The impacted staff members worked in various departments such as the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, Department of Energy, Health and Human Services, & Housing and Urban Development. They concentrated on tackling climate change and advocating for environmental justice. Musk and his followers described these roles as symbolic of bureaucratic inefficiency.
Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, alleged that Musk was trying to create a sense of fear among federal workers. “These tactics aim to terrorize employees into silence,” Kelley said, warning of the long-term consequences for public service morale.
This is not the first time Musk’s public criticism has led to real-world consequences. Mary “Missy” Cummings, a former senior advisor at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), previously experienced similar targeting after criticizing Tesla’s driver-assist programs. Cummings received death threats and was forced to relocate.
Cummings believes Musk’s actions are strategic. “He wants to intimidate people into quitting, achieving his goal of downsizing the government without firing anyone,” she explained.
Experts on cyber harassment declined to comment publicly on Musk’s behavior, citing fears of becoming his next targets. One described his actions as part of a “classic pattern” of online abuse that silences dissent and deters accountability.
Ramaswamy acknowledged the need for bureaucratic reform but emphasized that individual employees were not the enemy. However, Musk’s actions have already had a chilling effect on federal workers, with some reportedly resigning in anticipation of further public scrutiny.
Despite the backlash, Musk’s supporters argue that public accountability for government roles is necessary. The anonymous account Musk reposted stated: “Senior government officials are not mere rank-and-file employees. We deserve to know who is running our government and what they do.”
The unfolding controversy underscores a growing tension between calls for government reform and the human cost of public targeting.