What does Trump's recent executive order mean for federal hiring practices and Elon Musk's role in government?

Trump's executive order dramatically restricts federal hiring by allowing agencies to hire just one employee for every four who depart after a hiring freeze is lifted. Most significantly, the order grants Elon Musk's DOGE team substantial oversight of this process, requiring hiring approval from DOGE officials for most executive branch departments, with exceptions for areas like law enforcement and immigration enforcement. This represents a striking expansion of Musk's power over the civil service. The order also specifies that agencies should not fill positions DOGE deems unnecessary unless an agency head decides otherwise, effectively giving Musk's team significant influence in determining which government roles are essential and which can be eliminated.