Federal workers across the U.S. were left in a state of confusion and anxiety on Monday after conflicting instructions emerged regarding Elon Musk’s directive that employees justify their productivity or face termination.
The order, backed by President Donald Trump and enforced through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has now triggered legal challenges, internal dissent, and widespread frustration within government agencies.
The Controversial Directive: Respond or Be Fired
The chaos began when the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) sent an email over the weekend to all federal employees with the subject line:
“What did you do last week?”
The email instructed recipients to submit five bullet points detailing their accomplishments from the past seven days, with a deadline of Monday at 11:59 p.m. ET. Failure to comply, Musk warned, would be taken as a “resignation.”
“The standard for passing the test was to type some words and press send!” Musk posted on X (formerly Twitter). “Yet so many failed even that inane test, urged on in some cases by their managers.”
Legal Pushback and Agency Resistance
The directive quickly faced legal resistance from federal worker unions and activist groups, who filed a lawsuit in California to halt the mandate, claiming it violated due process and labor protections.
At the same time, several high-profile federal agencies instructed their employees to ignore the email, including:
- The Department of Defense (DoD)
- The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
- The Department of Justice (DOJ)
These agencies, despite being led by Trump-appointed leaders, cited procedural concerns and potential legal violations as reasons for their non-compliance.
Confusion Among Federal Employees
The conflicting directives left thousands of government workers baffled, with some unsure whether failing to respond would result in immediate termination. One HHS employee told the BBC:
“They’re succeeding in driving us insane. We don’t know if we’re supposed to follow our agency’s guidance or Musk’s email.”
By Monday afternoon, the OPM attempted to clarify the confusion during a call with agency HR heads, stating that individual agencies could decide how to handle the directive. However, this guidance came too late for many employees who were already unsure of their job security.
Trump and Musk Double Down on the Ultimatum
Despite the backlash, President Trump stood firmly behind Musk’s directive, praising it as a “genius” strategy to weed out inefficiency:
“We’re trying to find out if people are working. If they don’t respond, maybe they don’t even exist,” Trump said in a press briefing.
“If you don’t answer, you’re sort of semi-fired—or just fired.”
Musk reinforced the ultimatum on X, granting employees a “second chance” but with a final warning:
“Failure to respond a second time will result in termination.”
White House Response: A “Unified Team” or Internal Discord?
In response to mounting reports of internal chaos, the White House attempted to downplay the situation. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt released a statement claiming:
“Everyone is working together as one unified team at the direction of President Trump. Any notion to the contrary is completely false.”
However, the administration has yet to explain why agencies under Trump’s leadership—such as the FBI and DoD—are directly contradicting the White House’s stance.
What’s Really at Stake for Federal Workers?
At the core of the issue is a battle between efficiency and legality. Critics argue that Musk’s directive:
- Violates due process by threatening termination without standard federal review.
- Undermines agency autonomy, as many departments have their own internal performance review systems.
- Risks causing internal chaos by sending mixed signals to employees who are unsure which directives to follow.
Legal and Political Fallout on the Horizon
The legal battle has only just begun:
- Federal worker unions are moving forward with lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of Musk’s directive.
- Lawmakers from both parties are demanding clearer guidance from the Trump administration and seeking Congressional hearings on DOGE’s authority.
- Agencies that defy Musk’s orders could face internal investigations or legal scrutiny.
The Bigger Picture: Efficiency or Power Play?
While DOGE’s stated mission is to root out wasteful government spending, critics argue that Musk’s mandate may be less about efficiency and more about consolidating power:
- Many of the agencies resisting Musk’s order have been key targets of Trump’s past criticisms, including the FBI and DOJ.
- The administration’s mixed messaging raises concerns about potential overreach and misuse of executive authority.
Meanwhile, support for DOGE’s broader goals remains high among the public—72% of registered voters favor an agency focused on improving federal efficiency, according to a Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll.
