Midnight Madness: Federal Workers Face Termination Deadline

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People rally at Health and Human Services headquarters to protest the polices of President Donald Trump and Elon Musk Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)
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Federal employees have until midnight tonight to justify their work from the past week—or risk losing their jobs. The directive, issued by billionaire Elon Musk in an email, is part of a sweeping effort to dramatically reduce the size of the federal workforce.

The order has sent shockwaves through key government agencies, with many employees scrambling to meet the deadline. Some departments, including the and Department of Homeland Security, have advised their workers not to comply, citing legal and privacy concerns.

representing federal employees have already filed lawsuits against Musk and the , calling the directive one of the most significant threats to federal employment in U.S. . Many argue the move violates long-standing civil service protections designed to prevent arbitrary firings.

As uncertainty grows, this latest demand has only deepened tensions within the federal workforce.


Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @E_N_McMorris & @aurnonline.

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AURN NEWS WITH EBONY MCMORRIS