Since Elon Musk was named one of the leaders of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the Donald Trump administration, his arrival in government has been marked by an aggressive strategy of "optimizing" state spending. DOGE, an agency created with the mission of reducing bureaucracy and eliminating what the White House considers "state waste," has been touted as Musk's most ambitious project in the public sphere.

Under the premise of modernizing and streamlining the federal administration, Musk has imported his trademark corporate management style to government. However, what may be seen as a disruptive strategy in the business world has generated resistance and controversy in the public sector. His tenure at DOGE has been marked by a philosophy of extreme "accountability," promoting the elimination of jobs that do not justify their existence with tangible results.

"What did you do last week?"

One of the most controversial episodes in DOGE's short history has been the recent email sent by Musk to all federal employees. With the subject line "What did you do last week?", the email instructed workers to send a five-point summary of their weekly activities by midnight on Monday. The warning was clear: those who did not respond would be considered to have submitted their letter of resignation.

The reaction from government agencies was immediate. Some departments urged their employees to ignore the request, while others issued alerts about possible security risks. It was argued that the measure had no legal basis and put sensitive government information at risk. However, according to reports, more than one million employees complied with the request by the deadline, reflecting both fear of retaliation and widespread confusion in the federal administration.

Bee Movie vs. Musk

While the government was processing employee responses, a spontaneous social media campaign organized against the move. Reddit, Threads and TikTok users initiated a protest action by flooding the official DOGE post with the full script of the animated Bee Movie. This strategy, known as "copypasta," has been used before in digital protests to overwhelm reporting systems or block government enforcement mechanisms.

The mass posting of the Bee Movie script not only sought to ridicule Musk's strategy, but also to highlight potential flaws in the administration's digital infrastructure. With thousands of emails saturating DOGE's servers, the protest succeeded in exposing the limits of Musk's initiative and demonstrated that a strategy of extreme pressure on federal employees could generate unpredictable reactions.

Can Musk do corporate bullying in government?

Musk's management philosophy, characterized by drastic decisions and immediate layoffs, may make sense in a private environment where efficiency and profitability are priorities. However, applying this logic to government presents enormous challenges.

First, government is not a business. The state bureaucracy has processes and regulations designed to ensure stability, transparency and protection of labor rights. Management based on threats and mass layoffs not only generates a climate of uncertainty, but can also erode employee morale and reduce efficiency rather than improve it.

Second, the lack of transparency in evaluation criteria is a fundamental problem. What will be the key performance indicators (KPIs) for federal employees? Who will define them and how will fair processes be ensured? If the idea of cutting government spending is not backed by a clear and reliable evaluation system, it is likely to meet fierce opposition both within government and among civil society.

Finally, public sector workers also have rights. While efficiency in government spending is a legitimate concern, it must be balanced with respect for labor rights and existing regulations. The Trump-style "you're fired" policy may be effective in reality shows and private corporations, but in the government sphere, a strategy based on bullying could end up undermining the legitimacy of the administration itself.

Elon Musk has taken his corporate management approach to government with the intention of reducing government spending and improving efficiency. However, the recent controversy with his mass mailing has shown that his leadership style can clash with the realities of the public sector. Digital protests and resistance within the federal administration are symptoms that a strategy based on pressure and threats could generate more problems than it solves.

For government reform to be effective, it is not enough to impose business rules on the state bureaucracy. It requires an approach that combines efficiency with transparency, and ensures that any changes are made within the bounds of legality and respect for workers. If Musk and Trump do not adjust their strategy, it is likely that their mission to "clean up" government will end up generating administrative chaos that is more difficult to manage than the problem they intended to solve.