A growing number of U.S. federal agencies are resisting the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)’s latest directive, which requires all federal employees to submit a weekly report detailing their work accomplishments.
The controversial request, driven by an executive order from President Donald Trump and enforced by DOGE leader Elon Musk, has sparked confusion, legal concerns, and widespread backlash across various government departments.
The Controversial Directive: A Weekly Report Mandate
The directive, issued through the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), demanded that all federal employees submit a summary of their accomplishments by 11:59 PM Monday. Those who fail to comply, according to Musk, will be considered to have “effectively resigned.”
The intention behind this initiative is to increase government accountability and efficiency, aligning with DOGE’s broader goals of cutting bureaucratic waste and streamlining federal operations.
However, many government agencies have openly defied the order, raising concerns about legality, employee rights, and national security implications.
Widespread Agency Resistance
Several prominent agencies have rejected or paused compliance with the directive:
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): Newly appointed director Kash Patel instructed employees to ignore the OPM email for now, stating that the FBI will manage internal reviews according to its established protocols.
- State Department: Acting Undersecretary for Management Tibor Nagy advised employees that they are not obligated to report activities outside their official department channels.
- Pentagon, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and FEMA: These agencies issued similar directives, telling staff not to respond to the DOGE request without additional guidance.
Meanwhile, other agencies have issued mixed responses:
- Department of Justice (DOJ): Instructed employees to follow the reporting instructions but explicitly warned against sharing sensitive, classified, or confidential information.
- Secret Service and Department of Transportation: Advised their employees to comply with the directive for now.
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and National Security Agency (NSA): Adopted a cautious “wait and see” approach, advising staff to delay responses until further guidance is provided.
Legal Challenges on the Horizon
The controversial mandate has drawn sharp criticism from the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the largest federal employee union in the U.S. The union has already threatened to sue the government over what it calls a “cruel and disrespectful” policy. Legal experts believe that DOGE’s move could be challenged on several fronts, including:
- Violation of federal employment rights: Agencies have their own established processes for performance reviews, and overriding those systems could violate existing laws and union agreements.
- National security concerns: Requiring employees from sensitive agencies like the FBI, NSA, and DHS to disclose work details—even in summary form—could compromise national security protocols.
Elon Musk’s Role and DOGE’s Future
This latest directive is part of Musk’s broader mission, under Trump’s leadership, to cut government waste and increase productivity through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
However, the growing resistance across federal agencies suggests that Musk’s private-sector management style may not be compatible with the rigid structures and legal protections embedded in federal governance.
As agencies continue to push back, experts expect a legal showdown between the federal workforce, their unions, and DOGE. Meanwhile, employees remain in limbo, uncertain about whether complying with the directive could lead to legal risks—or if resisting it could cost them their jobs.
