U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper could not grant a motion from unions representing federal workers to stop layoffs.

Elon Musk's DOGE team has slashed hundreds of jobs paid for by fees from banks, medical device companies and other forms of funding rather than taxpayer dollars, raising the question of whether the cuts will render hoped for savings.

“I feel like the cruelty is the point, if I am being honest,” a federal worker, terminated on Thursday, told CNN. “There has been so much indication from the new OPM director and Elon Musk and from DOGE that the whole point of this is to scare people away from working in federal government or those who are still there, to want to leave.”

Plus: NY Gov. Kathy Hochul won't oust Mayor Eric Adams but vows oversight. | More than half a million Haitian refugees will lose protected status.