President-elect Donald Trump's mention of Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy recommending major cuts to the federal government has sparked fear among public employees about the security of their jobs. Musk's recent actions have further exacerbated these concerns.
Last week, Musk reposted information about four relatively unknown government employees holding climate-related positions. While this information is publicly available, Musk's reposts garnered millions of views and subjected these individuals to negative attention, leading to at least one person deleting their social media accounts.
These actions have left many federal employees worried about becoming personal targets of Musk and his followers. Some fear physical threats and believe that Musk's tactics are aimed at instilling fear and silencing dissent among government workers.
Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, expressed concern over Musk's behavior, stating that it aims to intimidate federal employees and discourage them from speaking up.
This is not the first time Musk has targeted individuals who he perceives as obstacles. Mary “Missy” Cummings, a former federal employee, recounted a similar experience of being singled out by Musk for criticism.
Overall, Musk's actions have raised alarms among federal employees, with some considering leaving their jobs due to the fear of becoming targets. The situation highlights the potential impact of influential figures using their platforms to intimidate and silence individuals within the government.
