Doge builds a “firewall” between Musk’s team and legacy USDS workers
Government’s Ministry of Efficiency has built a “firewall” isolation Elon Musk’s team From around 200 legacy workers employed by those previously called US Digital Services (USDS), the source tells Wired.
Since Musk’s USDS acquisition, the original USDS staff said they have had little contact with Musk’s team. Doge representatives were scheduled to attend several USDS meetings last week, but they didn’t show up. The only time the legacy staff met with recently installed personnel was on a Friday. Meet with Doge’s HR Chief Stephanie Holmeswired was first reported. At that meeting, Holmes was unable to provide many answers to numerous questions related to the postponed resignation programme offered to most federal employees.
“Their not showing up shows that they clearly don’t give us any fuck about us,” a source told Wired. “We don’t wait for them to come, so it’s the biggest ‘you’. ”
Without the new directive, USDS sources will continue to work on long-term projects that have been handed over from President Joe Biden’s administration, as if things were operating as if they were “normal business.” I’m telling Wired.
“They don’t talk to us,” a USDS employee tells Wired.
“As far as I know, they’re hidden,” says another.
The loneliness of the Musk team highlights the secrets surrounding Doge’s staff. last week, Wired reported that he is an unknown young engineer He was tasked with interviews with USDS staff on General Service Management and sometimes reviewing codes. “We fear that those people’s names will come out and their personal lives will be disrupted. That’s exactly what happened last week. That’s a real shame for them,” said GSA’s Technology Transformation Service. Thomas Shedd, director of I said this at a meeting with staff on Monday..
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Former USDS assistant administrator Ted Carstensen is the highest-ranking USDS representative outside of Musk’s orbit. He resigned on Thursday. He repeatedly invited members of Musk’s team, including Doge’s senior advisor Steve Davis, to attend staff meetings, sources told Wired, but they never showed. According to two sources, Carstensen was repeatedly excluded from leadership meetings and felt protected from the decision-making loop. Karstensen was to meet Holmes on Wednesday, sources said the meeting was cancelled at the last minute.
In a resignation email viewed by Wired, Carstensen confirmed Thursday was his last day. He said he would not take a postponed resignation offer colloquially called “folk.” Road email fork Last week, federal workers provided continued pay and benefits until September 30th.
“This was not an easy decision for me as my time with US digital services is one of the best periods of my career. I put my heart into the mission and team commitment, I believe that I am inspired every day by kindness and intelligence,” Carstensen writes. “It was important to me to take my team to a place where everyone could choose their own path. That’s where we find ourselves today. I’m going to land on the best path for you. I hope, and I look forward to getting in touch and seeing where it takes you.”
Carstensen did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Karstensen’s decision to reject the “folk” deal reflects similar sentiment among the broader USDS staff. “There’s a strong sense in some USD that people don’t want to take it on a fork because they don’t want to send a message that they’re somehow accepting or endorsing a large-scale plan.” said a USDS source.
At an internal meeting after Karstensen’s departure, staff were told he would not be replaced and his responsibility would spread across the rest of the organization, sources said. During the meeting, staff lamented the organization’s condition and showed Musk and his team were in full control, fearing that Karstensen’s departure.
“It’s hardly controversial that USDS is in Endgame,” said one of the meeting.
“It’s time to start loading lifeboats,” another said.