Elon Musk’s aggressive push to downsize the U.S. federal workforce through his leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) took a controversial turn this week.
After issuing an ultimatum to over two million federal workers to justify their weekly achievements via email, confusion and resistance spread across multiple government agencies—some led by Trump loyalists.
The original deadline passed on Tuesday with many agencies instructing their employees to disregard Musk’s request, leaving federal workers in limbo and raising fresh questions about the legality and intent behind DOGE’s actions.
Musk’s Ultimatum: Respond or Resign
On Saturday, federal employees received a mass email from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) demanding they submit:
- Five bullet points outlining their accomplishments from the previous week.
- A response deadline of 11:59 p.m. Monday or risk being considered resigned.
Musk framed the demand as a test of basic job performance:
“The email was basically a check to see if the employee had a pulse and was capable of replying to an email.”
However, multiple agencies—some headed by staunch Trump allies—told employees to ignore the email due to legal uncertainties and the risk of cyber vulnerabilities flagged by internal IT teams.
Musk’s Follow-Up Threat: “Another Chance” Before Termination
As the original deadline passed, Musk doubled down on his demand, posting on X (formerly Twitter):
“Subject to the discretion of the President, they will be given another chance. Failure to respond a second time will result in termination.”
Despite this threat, Musk did not provide a new deadline, leaving employees and agency leaders confused about the next steps.
Trump Backs Musk’s “Ingenious” Strategy
President Donald Trump offered his full support for Musk’s directive, claiming it would help identify non-performing or non-existent employees:
“If people don’t respond, it’s very possible that there is no such person or they’re not working,” Trump told reporters.
“Non-responders will be sort of semi-fired or fired.”
Trump praised the initiative as a way to root out inefficiency and expose government waste—a core mission of DOGE since its creation.
Federal Agencies and Workers Push Back
Despite Trump’s approval, several federal agencies pushed back against Musk’s directive, with sources reporting:
- Internal memos from agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) advised employees to disregard the email.
- Concerns that the email could be a cybersecurity risk if exploited by foreign actors.
- Legal questions about whether Musk, who is not a Senate-confirmed official, has the authority to demand such compliance from federal workers.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) also clarified that responding to Musk’s directive is voluntary and failure to respond would not be treated as resignation—contradicting Musk’s threats.
Legal Challenges and Growing Resistance
DOGE’s cost-cutting campaign is facing mounting legal resistance:
- A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has raised constitutional concerns about DOGE’s structure and Musk’s role.
- A separate court ruling in Manhattan temporarily blocked DOGE’s access to sensitive Treasury systems, citing violations of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA).
- Federal employee unions are preparing legal challenges, claiming that Musk’s directive violates labor agreements and federal employment protections.
