WASHINGTON — Federal employees have until midnight to comply with an order from Elon Musk for a report on their recent activities, a directive that has sparked tension among government workers. This requirement, backed by both Musk and President Donald Trump, carries the implication that failing to comply could result in termination. They argue that asking employees to list five achievements from the past week is a straightforward method to enhance accountability in the federal sector.
However, this mandate has led to apprehension and uncertainty among many federal workers as the new administration exerts its influence over government operations. In response, some agencies have advised their employees to either not respond or to provide minimal information, echoing the guidance given after a similar request from Musk last month.
According to recent communications, federal employees could now face a regular weekly task of submitting their accomplishments every Monday. Across the United States, there are approximately 2.4 million federal workers, excluding those in active military service and the postal department, with 80% working outside the Washington D.C. area.
At the Food and Drug Administration, employees received a series of emails on Monday regarding the reporting requirement—the first email arrived at about 6:45 a.m. Eastern alerting them to the request, followed by a second email before 8 a.m. advising them to await further instructions, and a third one after 11:30 a.m. provided guidance on how to draft their responses.
Workers were instructed to respond in broad terms, avoiding sensitive information or specific details about grants and collaborators. This cautious approach was echoed at the Department of Energy, an agency integral to nuclear management.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright advised, “Do not include any sensitive or classified information, and do not send any links or attachments.” He added, “If all your activities are sensitive, please reply ‘All of my activities are sensitive.’”
On the other hand, the State Department advised its employees that the department’s leadership would fulfill the requirement on their behalf. Similarly, the Federal Bureau of Prisons told its employees they could respond by stating that their duties’ details might compromise institutional security or operations.
Meanwhile, following Musk’s initial request, Justice Department personnel were informed that due to the confidential nature of their work, they were exempt from responding. However, by Monday, instructions changed, requiring compliance with the email directives from the Office of Personnel Management.
FBI employees were advised to continue adhering to the guidance from Director Kash Patel, who had instructed them to refrain from responding until further notice.
The request for a summary of five achievements each week was first introduced last month. Despite Musk’s warning of potential job losses for noncompliance, the Office of Personnel Management initially labeled it as optional. This time, some guidance has come directly from individual agencies, which possess the authority to make hiring and disciplinary decisions.
Musk has characterized this requirement as a “pulse check,” a notion he reiterated during Trump’s first Cabinet meeting of his second term. “Do you have a pulse and two neurons?” Musk quipped, adding, “So if you have a pulse and two neurons, you can reply to an email.”
