As the U.S. government faces another potential shutdown, a single emoji from Elon Musk has sprouted a new cause for concern, since it implies what he thinks should happen to furloughed workers.
The latest development stemmed from White House correspondent journalist, Natalie Winters, who took to social media to drop her post on X (formerly Twitter) - asking: "If the government shuts down, what if we just never brought most furloughed workers back?".
After Musk noticed the post, his response was as short as it could be, merely replying with the above thinking-face emoji.
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While it might not seem like much, but coming from the CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and X itself, it’s more than enough to raise eyebrows. That’s because as the leader of DOGE — President Donald Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency — billionaire Elon Musk has been looking for ways to cut as much spending on the federal level as possible.
Following a government shutdown looming, new sources have revealed this is exactly what Musk wants, in order to make the slashing of government jobs far easier, and has even been supporting it behind the scenes.
According to Wired, multiple sources say Musk sees a shutdown as a way to cut down the federal workforce permanently — essentially stopping many furloughed employees from ever coming back.
One Republican insider said: "A shutdown has been his preference," one Republican insider told the outlet, claiming Musk’s stance has him “boxed in there” by President Trump.
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Another source went further, saying:
"You know none of this is about saving money, right? It’s all about destroying a liberal power base."
The report also highlights how Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has already been working to trim down federal jobs, supposedly eliminating tens of thousands of positions. A shutdown could accelerate those efforts.
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If the US government does shut down, thousands of federal employees would be temporarily out of work. Essential services, such as law enforcement and Social Security payments, would continue, but many agencies would be forced to pause operations.
Historically, government shutdowns have been temporary disruptions, with furloughed workers returning once a budget deal is reached. But Wired’s report suggests Musk and some conservatives may see this as a chance to make the cuts permanent.
There’s already concern among federal employees about how a shutdown could impact them long-term. One anonymous State Department worker told Wired:
"There are concerns anyone deemed nonessential will be DOGE’d."
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In other words, some fear that if they’re furloughed now, they may never get their jobs back.
Musk’s past comments suggest he has little sympathy for government jobs that he sees as unnecessary. According to The New Yorker earlier this month, Musk told reporters in February:
"If the job is not essential, or they are not doing it well, they obviously shouldn’t be on the public payroll."
While some may argue he’s simply questioning inefficiencies like he has with his own companies, Musk’s attitude will likely only fuel concerns that he’s trying to reshape the federal government to fit his own vision.