Employees had to reply “yes” to the option to stay by 5 p.m.

ET on Thursday or be let go with three months of severance pay.

Many, it appears, chose to leave.

“Shoutout to all the workers at Twitter,” she wrote to her 13 million followers.

“You all built a vital place for connection and deserved so much better.”

“How do you make a small fortune in social media?”

Musk tweeted on Thursday night, three hours after his deadline to staff.

“Start out with a large one.”

How do you make a small fortune in social media?Start out with a large one.

The polarizing businessman’s tenure as Twitter leader may end up being temporary.