The Trump administration announced that it is mandating federal workers to return in person or accept a deferred resignation, with 5% to 10% of the federal workforce expected to choose the latter. In reaction, Donalds said it was necessary to put all employees of “a federal bureaucracy that seeks its own interest” on notice and realize they cannot stay home and just say “you’re working.”

“We had the office of presidential personnel, I think that’s who it was, and came into Oversight a year ago, and testified in front of the Oversight Committee,” Donalds explained on the PBD Podcast. “And we kept asking her, ‘What percentage of the federal workforce is actually in the office, at a minimum, 30 hours a week?’ She couldn’t answer, she did not have the information, and it’s your job to know who’s where.”

Because of that, Donalds said he is “all for” mandating in-person work for federal employees, especially because many employers are still paying to rent the buildings where people are supposed to work. He added that this would lower the number of employees with their own political ideology, “and typically it is a very left-leaning position,” who oppose lawmakers and attempt to undermine their work.

“So yeah, if you ain’t going to come into work, he’s the chief executive, you’re not going to show up, bye-bye,” Donalds said.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that the offer to federal workers allows them to either return to the office or be “very generously” paid by the government to continue working remotely for eight months. She also said “tens of millions of dollars” would be saved by offering employees this choice.

Donalds is not the only lawmaker celebrating the downsizing of federal employment. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) described President Donald Trump’s announcement as the president “already delivering on his promises to drain the swamp.” She added that she and Trump would be happy to tell any employee who does not return to work “you’re fired,” a reference to Trump’s iconic phrase from The Apprentice.

Federal employees who choose to accept this offer must announce their intention to resign by Feb. 6. Military personnel, the U.S. Postal Service, and anyone working in immigration enforcement or national security are excluded from the offer.