“My opinion is that most who like to ‘move fast and break things’ have never built anything that anyone actually needs or relies on,” the memo reads, an obvious criticism of Elon Musk’s tech bro mentality.

“My opinion is that most who like to ‘move fast and break things’ have never built anything that anyone actually needs or relies on,” the memo reads, an obvious criticism of Elon Musk’s tech bro mentality.

The official urged other VA employees to be “circumspect in your communications.” Although Elon Musk’s DOGE isn’t explicitly mentioned in the memo, his chainsaw-wielding tendencies are scaring top leadership at the VA.

how severely impacted the research service is by the executive orders,” the memo reads. “I hope I am incorrect; I can not imagine a worse message than, ‘How dare you tell anyone how bad this is!’”

“My fear is that simultaneously placing a group of VA researchers around the nation on administrative leave sends the chilling message that we must not let others outside the VA know...

Supervisors weren’t told in advance that the two employees would be placed on leave, according to the memo, which sounds an alarm about the changes.

“One of the [people] placed on administrative leave shared with me — and gave me permission to share with you — that there was an allegation of (and I am paraphrasing here) researchers on administrative leave could be “a coordinated effort.”

It’s unclear exactly why they were pushed out. But one of them may have said more publicly, or to the press, about the inner workings of the agency than the bosses wanted, according to the memo.