--- title: "Elon Musk Reportedly Wants the Government to Shut Down So He Can Do Something Dark" description: "Unelected White House official Elon Musk is desperate for the federal government to grind to a halt — so he can continue dismantling it." date: "2025-03-12" modified: "2025-03-12" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/elon-musk-government-shutdown" categories: - "Elon Musk" - "Future Society" - "The Industrialists" tags: - "doge" - "elon musk" - "government shutdown" - "white house" --- # Elon Musk Reportedly Wants the Government to Shut Down So He Can Do Something Dark ![Unelected White House official Elon Musk is desperate for the federal government to grind to a halt — so he can continue dismantling it.]() *\Image: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images\* Unelected White House official Elon Musk is reportedly hoping the federal government grinds to a halt — so he can dismantle it even more ruthlessly. As [*Wired* reports](), Musk is hoping that a government shutdown could allow him to more easily fire hundreds of thousands of federal workers, a potentially existential threat for many government agencies. His purported desire could fly in the face of the interests of the Trump administration. Earlier this week, the [*Washington Post* reported](), the White House tried to convince House Republicans to vote for a stopgap measure, called a continuing resolution, to fund the government through September. With a Friday deadline looming, the measure would need Democratic votes in the Senate. But whether they'll fall in line remains uncertain. Trump's escalating trade war has sparked a major stock market crash, straining relations with Congress. Yet a shutdown could end up being beneficial to Musk's continued plundering of the federal government. The mercurial CEO has been ransacking agencies with the help of his so-called Department of Government Efficiency. "A shutdown has been his preference," a Republican source told *Wired*. "I think he’s boxed in there by the president. I think it would be really hard for him to get around that." As [*The Hill* reports](), Senate Democrats are caught between a rock and a hard place. They either have to fund the government and stop a potentially calamitous shutdown that could drag on for weeks or even months — or oppose the continuing resolution to ensure the Trump administration doesn't get what it wants. A shutdown could prove disastrous, even without Musk firing workers left and right, leading to [close to one million]() "nonessential" government workers being furloughed. But even putting all of those workers on ice could only save roughly $110 billion a year, falling far short of the [$1 trillion Musk hopes to eliminate]() by 2026. Shutdown or not, Musk has been eviscerating government agencies with alacrity. The Department of Education [announced]() this week it would cut half of its workforce, which could prove to be a debilitating blow. And a shutdown could make things far worse. After 30 days, some furloughed workers could become permanently laid off as part of "reduction in force" proceedings. "There are concerns anyone deemed nonessential will be DOGE’d," a State Department employee told *Wired*. What exactly will happen if it drags on for that long remains unclear given the lack of precedent. Only one partial shutdown has lasted over 30 days, [starting in late 2018](). And many other workers could eventually be forced out as they look for other sources of income. "I suspect the greatest impact of a long-term shutdown is that it will encourage federal employees to leave public service sooner rather than later," University of Minnesota School of Law professor Nick Bednar told *Wired*. "Even though federal law permits back pay, federal employees still need to pay for rent, groceries, and other essentials." **More on DOGE:** *[Elon Musk Has a Major Problem: Tesla Investors Are Absolutely Disgusted With Him]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()