Billionaire investor Mark Cuban made his way in the last upheaval of government technology on Saturday, showing an unexpected supply of support for newly dismissed federal workers on the Bluesky social network.
Her messageWho quickly gained ground, urged the engineers and designers displaced to turn the upheaval to their advantage.
“If you have worked for 18F and have been dismissed, you group together to start a consulting company,” wrote Cuban. “It’s just a matter of time before Doge needs you to repair the mess that they inevitably created. They will have to hire your business as a entrepreneur to repair it. But according to your conditions. I am happy to invest and / or help.
The Cuban offer intervened after the General Services (GSA) of the government suddenly emptied its technological unit 18F, which helps other government agencies to build, buy and share technological products. By politicoThe layoffs affected around 70 people who learned the news around 1 hour, Eastern time on Saturday. Among other things, the unit would have built Login.gov, a secure and private way for the public to access services in government agencies, including Social Security and the Veterans Department.
The late morning layoffs are linked to a Directive of the Trump administration to shrink the federal workforce and reduced expenses at the request of the Elon Musk Government Department (DOGE). The cuts were not a first for 18F; According to Politico, two dozen other 18F employees were dismissed in February when GSA reduced probationary employees.
Those affected at the little Saturday morning hours also received Email Friday evening of Doge with the object line: “What did you do last week?” Part II. »»
According to Politico, emails – inciting employees to list their weekly achievements on Monday – were widely distributed between several agencies, including the State Department, IRS and NIH.
Following these new layoffs, the Cuban proposal presents an intriguing possibility: could workers even out of the government help to reshape the future of civic technology in their own terms? While DOGE moves towards the dismantling of agencies, even Musk recognized the fallout linked to the speed at which his team moves. Wednesday, Musk shared: “For example, with Usaid, one of the things we accidentally canceled – Very briefly – was Ebola’s prevention. “(Since then, public health experts have declared that government support Not been fully restored.)
The question is now whether a percentage of the growing number of former government workers from the government will seize the moment, regrouping to build the startups that could one day sell their expertise to the government. If this is the case, this would represent a striking turn in administration efforts to reduce public workforce.
If Cuban has its way, at least one of these units can be found in a private company, the government has no choice but to count. Another Bluesky user even had a brand idea for the startup, Cuban saying“Name the new company 18FU”.
