WASHINGTON ― A White House official announced on Tuesday that more than 20,000 federal workers have accepted the buyout offer extended by President Donald Trump ahead of the impending Thursday deadline.

This figure accounts for approximately 1% of over 2 million federal employees, which falls short of the White House’s target of 5% to 10% participation in the buyout program.

Nonetheless, the official noted that the number of deferred resignations is “rapidly growing,” anticipating a surge in sign-ups during the 24 to 48 hours leading up to the deadline.

Axios was the first to report on the number of accepted buyouts.

To significantly shrink the federal workforce, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management sent a mass email last Tuesday offering all federal employees eight months of salary and benefits, effective through September, if they resign by February 6, which is this Thursday.

This initiative is tied to Elon Musk’s ambitions to overhaul the federal bureaucracy through a newly established Department of Government Efficiency he leads.

Federal employees wishing to stay on will be required to return to on-site work, adopt new “performance standards,” and demonstrate qualities like reliability, loyalty, and trustworthiness. The email also cautioned that most federal departments and agencies will face “downsizing through restructurings, realignments, and reductions in force.”

Erv Koehler, assistant commissioner of general supplies and services at the General Services Administration, indicated in an email to GSA staff reported by the Washington Post that layoffs across the federal government are “likely” if not enough employees opt for the buyout.

Dubbed “Fork in the Road,” the email offering the buyout mirrors the subject line Musk used in 2022 when he issued a similar ultimatum to Twitter employees after acquiring the platform and rebranding it to X.

The initial buyout email caused considerable confusion, as it did not clearly state that employees taking the “deferred resignation” would not need to report for work. Democrats have cautioned federal workers against accepting the offer, claiming Trump is untrustworthy.

In a follow-up message titled “Fork in the Road FAQs,” the Office of Personnel Management clarified that employees opting for the deferred resignation will not be required to work during the interim period and are allowed to seek employment elsewhere while still receiving their pay until September.

Musk and his team have quickly infiltrated federal departments and gained access to human resources systems at the Treasury Department, which contain personal information on millions of federal employees. Reports indicate that career civil servants have been locked out of these systems.

Contact Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.