this post was submitted on 03 Feb 2025
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politics

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Summary

Elon Musk warned federal employees against leaking information, stating, “if in doubt, they are out,” as he helps Trump implement sweeping government changes.

A Reddit post alleged Musk’s team is using “fingerprinting” tactics to track leakers. Musk, who spent heavily on Trump’s re-election, now leads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has controversially seized control of federal payment and personnel systems.

The administration is also encouraging civil servants to resign, prompting lawsuits.

Whistleblower protections may challenge Musk’s crackdown on leaks.

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[–] Sabata11792@ani.social 50 points 2 days ago

Musk threatens to illegally fire employees he is already illegally firing.

[–] infinitesunrise@slrpnk.net 31 points 2 days ago (1 children)

He's gonna fire you anyway, leak harder.

[–] lori@lemmy.zip 4 points 1 day ago

Seriously they're going to fire just about everyone. It's not much of a threat.

[–] Nunar@lemmy.world 65 points 2 days ago (4 children)

This dipshit has no authority! What the actual fuck is happening?

[–] SVcross@lemmy.world 49 points 2 days ago (1 children)

We are looking at a coup, they already have judicial power, order forces, and when they get most departments and branches, they will take the legislative power. I give it less than a month, they will start persecuting members of Congress that oppose the current regime.

[–] BradleyUffner@lemmy.world 17 points 2 days ago (2 children)

I give it less than a month, they will start persecuting members of Congress that oppose the current regime.

It's already happening at the state level. Tennessee is passing a law that would make it illegal for state legislature to vote against a bill that aligns with federal policy.

https://www.newsweek.com/tennessee-bill-would-prohibit-voting-against-trump-immigration-policies-2023749

[–] AngryRobot@lemmy.world 6 points 2 days ago

I guess they've never heard of states' rights...

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[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 18 points 2 days ago

What is happening is that they don't care about the law.

Also what is happening is people still seem to be surprised by that.

[–] Bakkoda@sh.itjust.works 11 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

A government that was more intent on ruling than governing, has been doing all it can to muddy the waters on constitutional interpretation, finally hit a tipping point.

[–] Jhex@lemmy.world 9 points 2 days ago

Americans voted for this (or didn't bother to vote to avoid it)

[–] Sam_Bass@lemmy.world 15 points 2 days ago

Fuck that south African shitsnake

[–] superkret@feddit.org 189 points 3 days ago (3 children)

now leads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has controversially seized control of federal payment and personnel systems.

Why the fuck do they still write like this? DOGE isn't a department of the government, it's just Elon with a Carte Blanche. And there's nothing controversial about this, it's a coup in plain sight.

[–] dhork@lemmy.world 64 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (2 children)

It actually is. They took a Obama-era department and rebranded it

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_DOGE_Service

Which means it's full expanded name is "United States Department of Government Efficiency Service". Which is super efficient, isn't it?

[–] superkret@feddit.org 36 points 3 days ago (1 children)

The name may have already existed. But what Elon is doing in its name isn't what a governmental department does.

[–] dhork@lemmy.world 29 points 3 days ago (1 children)

It is now. Elon Musk says so, and he bought a President.

[–] Dragomus@lemmy.world 27 points 3 days ago (1 children)
[–] phdepressed@sh.itjust.works 20 points 3 days ago (1 children)
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[–] cyberpunk007@lemmy.ca 19 points 3 days ago (13 children)

It also bugs me how the O is stylized as a capital. In acronyms, isn't it proper to make it lowercase if it's a filler word like "of"?

And should he know this as an elite PoE (path of exile) player?

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[–] bitjunkie@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

And wasn't it originally going to have him and Ramaswamy or however the fuck you spell it as co-heads? Like, the top position was redundant out of the gate, and we're supposed to take its idea of "efficiency" seriously?

[–] superkret@feddit.org 3 points 2 days ago

No, you're supposed to wonder what exactly its purpose is, who leads it, on what legal basis, and what the limits of its power are.
While 20-something year old unelected goons who won't say their names dismantle the government in a week.

[–] thefluffiest@feddit.nl 121 points 3 days ago

Attention all federal employees! Chances are you’re gonna get your ass fired anyway, so malicious compliance is the watchword from now on. Leak, document, obfuscate, lie, confuse, sidetrack and goosechase them every chance you get.

Remember Hannah Arendt: evil is when every bureaucrat ‘just does their job’ because a higher power gave the order.

You’re the frontline of this fight now. Even if you never signed up for this. Because none of you did.

[–] finitebanjo@lemmy.world 27 points 2 days ago

Mulk: "I'm going to fire you if you leak anything about me firing all of you."

Staff: "I mean... yes...?"

[–] HubertManne@moist.catsweat.com 74 points 3 days ago (1 children)

How exactly is elon who has no position in teh government firing people?

[–] dohpaz42@lemmy.world 36 points 3 days ago (5 children)

He has an entire department that was created specifically for him to do shit like this.

[–] NocturnalMorning@lemmy.world 60 points 3 days ago (11 children)

It was created off the books. He technically has no authority, so I dont k ow why anybody is listening to anything he says. This is plainly illegal, and congress should be taking action right now. Instead we are sitting on our thumbs watching from the side lines.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 32 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (3 children)

He technically has no authority

He technically does have authority, because he's got his team into the IT systems via Trump's orders.

Since the federal government basically runs on Microsoft, that means his goons can go into Active Directory and start locking other people out of key government systems. Then he has payroll mark you as "Terminated" in the accounting system, because his people are in that system, too. If you can't badge into your office, you can't log on to your computer, you can't use your phone, and you won't receive a paycheck, what are you except "fired"?

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[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 20 points 3 days ago

He has an entire department

He has four people that dont have college degrees, the oldest is 24 and at least one is a teenager

Their actual names and contact info are floating around. But mainstream news isn't reporting it

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[–] CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world 21 points 2 days ago (1 children)

You cannot leak information! I'm the one who leaks information! -fElon

[–] JigglySackles@lemmy.world 9 points 2 days ago

Space Karen disliked that.

[–] deacon@lemmy.world 46 points 3 days ago

For any dedicated centrists, or even Trump Voters who are starting to feel this increasingly itchy feeling in the back of your mind, like there is a question you want to ask but your brain kind of shies away from putting it into words, let me help you out:

Yes, you are the baddies. Yes, it is only going to get more uncomfortable from here on out. If you haven't walked away after reading this comment, you are now choosing the side you know is wrong. On purpose. That is now your identity.

[–] peoplebeproblems@midwest.social 36 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Whistleblower protections may challenge Musk's crackdown on leaks.

Lmfao. How, exactly, are whistleblower protections going to do shit ?

Know what Nazis and the USSR did to "whistleblowers"? They killed them. Just a matter of time before these people who are leaking the information and slowing things down get shot for "refusing to vacate the premise" after being fired.

[–] Bill@lemmy.ca 13 points 2 days ago

Like the Boeing whistle-blowers?

[–] ieatpwns@lemmy.world 42 points 3 days ago (1 children)

So he wants them to quit but if they leak anything he’ll fire them? His mind is an enigma

[–] Banana@sh.itjust.works 34 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I hope people just say fuck it and leak everything

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 17 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

A lot of that is happening. But you've still got to leak to a source. After the way Snowden and Assange were handled, and the degree to which the bigger journals and news channels have been compromised by conservative financial interests, there's a big open question of who you even tell this stuff to.

Going to another Glenn Greenwald or Matt Taibbi would be a huge mistake.

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[–] MCasq_qsaCJ_234@lemmy.zip 27 points 3 days ago (5 children)

What if the workers leak information that Elon is an agent of China?

Orr worse, what if he's secretly DEI and woke? Smells like a foreigner with ties to hostile nations to me

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[–] WoodScientist@sh.itjust.works 16 points 3 days ago

This man needs to be tried for treason, convicted, and hanged for his crimes against the republic.

[–] Sanctus@lemmy.world 14 points 3 days ago (1 children)

We can't let them complete the Network State takeover. This is hostile to democracy. We will not survive this.

[–] forrgott@lemm.ee 15 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Why are you using their made up name for it?

Network State = fascism

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