A growing number of federal agencies and unions are instructing employees not to comply with Elon Musk’s latest demand that they account for their work over the past week—despite his warning that failure to respond could cost them their jobs.
Showdown over Musk’s workforce purge
Musk’s DOGE initiative, aimed at restructuring the federal workforce, has so far caused major disruptions but little internal resistance—until now. The standoff could have significant implications for government employees and test the strength of President Trump’s backing for Musk’s aggressive downsizing strategy.
On Saturday, Musk announced that every federal worker would receive an email requiring them to detail their accomplishments for the past week. He warned that noncompliance would be treated as a resignation. The ultimatum followed a Truth Social post from Trump urging Musk to take a tougher stance with his initiative.
Unions and agencies push back
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) sent the email on Saturday afternoon, giving employees until Monday night to respond. However, the message did not include Musk’s warning about job losses.
In response, two of the largest unions representing federal workers—the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU)—advised members not to reply.
“AFGE will challenge any unlawful terminations of our members and federal employees across the country,” said union president Everett Kelley.
Several federal agencies have also reportedly advised employees to ignore the email.
- The FBI’s new director, Kash Patel, instructed bureau staff not to respond, according to NBC.
- Government Executive reported that NOAA and NSA employees received similar guidance.
- The New York Times revealed that State Department workers were also told to withhold responses.
What happens next?
The White House has remained silent on Musk’s ultimatum and the widespread defiance from federal employees.
With the deadline looming, legal challenges are expected as unions and agencies prepare to push back against any mass firings. Meanwhile, questions remain about how OPM will handle the potentially massive influx of responses—or lack thereof. The coming days could determine the future of Musk’s campaign to overhaul the federal workforce.
