I know this. That career civil servants know the rules. They know they can't be fired without cause. They should know better to rely on Trumps word that in they will get 8 months serverance pay. It doesn't matter what they can do if they return to their desks, Trump can't do anything so long as they sit at their desk.

He bluffed them and now he is going to shaft them.

Musk does not have people preventing them from returning to their desks.

He needs a private army, there are over 70,000 people affected.