WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has expressed support for Elon Musk’s directive that federal employees must account for their recent achievements by the end of Monday or risk termination. Despite this, officials within government agencies have communicated that compliance with Musk’s mandate remains voluntary.
The situation has caused confusion and dissatisfaction, giving rise to legal action and contributing to unrest among the federal workforce. “What he’s doing is asking, ‘Are you actually working?'” Trump stated in the Oval Office during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. He explained that failing to respond could mean partial or full dismissal, suggesting that many individuals drawing paychecks do not actually perform any work. Trump claimed the Department of Government Efficiency, headed by Musk, uncovered “hundreds of billions of dollars in fraud” and implied phantom employees might be receiving federal paychecks. However, no evidence was presented to support these allegations.
Regardless of the pressure from Trump and Musk, the Office of Personnel Management has informed agency leaders that their employees are not obligated to meet the stated deadline of 11:59 p.m. EST Monday. This directive has resulted in varying instructions across different agencies. In some, employees were advised to document five tasks completed during the previous week; in others, it was optional; and some were outright told not to participate.
Meanwhile, a lawsuit was filed in federal court in California on Monday, spearheaded by the State Democracy Defenders Fund. The lawsuit contends that Musk’s actions violate the law by threatening mass dismissals, describing the situation as “one of the most significant employment frauds in U.S. history.” Anna Kelly, a deputy press secretary at the White House, criticized the lawsuit as a waste of taxpayer-funded salaries, suggesting the time could have been better spent summarizing their work for managers.
Musk is integral to Trump’s efforts aimed at reshaping and reducing the size of the federal government. Measures have included encouraging resignations, instructing agencies to dismiss probationary employees, and interrupting some agency operations altogether. These actions have triggered protests in Washington and opposition from within the government. The Office of Special Counsel, responsible for federal workforce oversight, indicated on Monday that the firing of several probationary employees might be illegal. Trump is pushing for the dismissal of the office’s leader, Hampton Dellinger, a case now before the U.S. Supreme Court. Dellinger sought intervention from the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board to halt the layoffs of six employees, hinting that many more could be unfairly affected.
There is evidence of Musk testing the extent of his power. Some high-ranking administration officials, including Trump’s steadfast supporters like FBI Director Kash Patel, have advised employees not to respond to the task inquiry due to privacy or security concerns, emphasizing existing agency evaluation processes. “If more information is needed, we will coordinate responses. For now, please hold off on responding,” Patel mentioned in an email. This situation marks a notable public disagreement between the billionaire entrepreneur Musk and Senate-confirmed Cabinet leaders otherwise supportive of his objectives. Trump dismissed any notion of discord with his trusted advisor, stating, “Everyone thought it was a pretty clever idea.” The Office of Personnel Management refrained from commenting while Musk maintained his threat of layoffs. “Those not taking this email seriously will soon be advancing their careers elsewhere,” Musk announced via his social media platform.
The recent uproar began over the weekend with Trump praising Musk on his social media website. Musk subsequently disclosed plans that all federal employees would soon receive an email requiring them to share their workload from the previous week. He asserted, “Failure to respond will be considered a resignation,” mirroring management tactics employed in his own enterprises. The Office of Personnel Management later issued its request, inviting employees to report their recent accomplishments without mentioning any employment repercussions.
Resistance swiftly emerged from key U.S. agencies led by Trump’s loyalists, including the State Department, Homeland Security, and the Pentagon, which instructed employees to ignore Musk’s request. Lawmakers across political lines have raised concerns about the legality of Musk’s demands. Justice Department officials were advised that their work’s confidential nature exempted them from the task. However, employees in the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington were guided to respond in general terms, omitting case-specific information. Other department workers, such as those at the Education Department, were directed to comply. “The email is legitimate, and employees should respond,” noted Rachel Oglesby, the department’s chief of staff, emphasizing that frontline supervisors will review responses.
The tumult during Trump’s second term has seen thousands of federal employees depart through firings or “deferred resignations.” While official figures on terminations or layoffs are unavailable, a tally indicates that hundreds of thousands of employees, many outside Washington, are affected.
