As the workweek begins, a wave of uncertainty surrounds hundreds of thousands of federal workers, who have been confronted with a controversial demand from President Trump’s cost-cutting chief, Elon Musk. He has requested these employees to provide a summary of their accomplishments over the past week, with a warning that failure to do so could lead to job loss.
This unusual directive from Musk has met significant pushback from various key agencies within the U.S. government, including the FBI, the State Department, Homeland Security, and the Pentagon. Many of these agencies’ leaders, considered loyal to the administration, instructed their personnel to disregard the request over the weekend. Additionally, lawmakers from both political parties have raised concerns that Musk’s orders could be legally questionable, with unions announcing potential legal action against them.
Over the weekend, Trump reiterated his support for Musk, urging him to intensify his cost-cutting measures through a newly established entity, dubbed the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. In a post on social media, he shared a meme that appeared to mock federal workers who had previously expressed dissatisfaction with both him and Musk.
Musk’s team sent out an email to a vast number of federal employees on Saturday, setting a tight deadline for them to report five specific achievements from the previous week. Musk warned via a separate message on X that any employee who did not adhere to the deadline, which was set for 11:59 p.m. EST on Monday, would risk losing their position.
As Monday’s deadline approached, there was widespread confusion. Some agencies resisted Musk’s order while others encouraged compliance, creating a chaotic environment where employees received conflicting messages.
At one point, the Department of Health and Human Services, headed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., instructed its 80,000 employees to comply with Musk’s request. This directive came shortly after the acting general counsel, Sean Keveney, had advised some to ignore it. By Sunday night, leadership within the agency had shifted again, telling employees to put a halt to any activities related to the request until noon on Monday.
Keveney expressed his frustration over the confusing situation in an internal email, mentioning that he had dedicated over 70 hours that past week to advancing the administration’s objectives. He voiced his concern over the lack of security guarantees protecting individuals’ responses, particularly citing the potential breach of attorney-client privilege.
This situation has led to criticism from members of both parties. Republican Senator John Curtis from Utah spoke out on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” urging Musk to approach the situation with compassion, reminding viewers that federal employees are real people facing significant life challenges, including the burden of mortgages.
FBI Director Kash Patel, also a supporter of Trump, advised employees to disregard Musk’s demands at least for the moment, affirming that the FBI would manage compliance through established procedures and would communicate with staff as needed.
In a somewhat contradictory manner, Ed Martin, the interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, sent out an email indicating that the office would fulfill the request from the Office of Personnel Management, but also emphasized that employees could choose not to reply.
Leadership from the Departments of State, Defense, and Homeland Security conveyed clearer guidance. Tibor Nagy, the acting undersecretary of state for management, informed employees that department leaders would handle the reporting, stating that staff were not obligated to disclose activities beyond their organizational hierarchy. The Pentagon also directed employees to refrain from responding to Musk’s requests, while the Department of Homeland Security indicated that no immediate actions were needed from their employees.
This unfolding drama occurs in a backdrop where thousands of federal personnel have already experienced job losses due to firings or incentivized departures during the early weeks of Trump’s second term. While no official statistics have been released regarding the exact impact, estimates suggest that hundreds of thousands of workers are affected, with many stationed outside Washington, D.C.
Musk characterized his recent request as a simple “pulse check.” He argued that many government employees seem disengaged, asserting that some may not even be monitoring their email. He alleged potential instances of fraud, claiming that identities of deceased individuals could be used to collect government paychecks. However, no evidence has been presented to support these claims. Recently, both Musk and Trump inaccurately suggested that large numbers of deceased individuals over the age of 100 are still receiving Social Security benefits.
In the upcoming week, many federal workers brace themselves for possible departures, including those on probation within the Pentagon and a significant portion of personnel from the U.S. Agency for International Development, faced with cuts or leave.
