Elon Musk announced on Wednesday that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) will send another email to federal employees, again asking them to summarize their accomplishments. This comes after a previous email request sparked confusion and resistance across government agencies.
During President Donald Trump’s first Cabinet meeting, Musk acknowledged that the initial response was incomplete, prompting the decision to follow up.
Key Takeaways:
- Over 1 million federal workers responded to the first email—less than half of the entire federal workforce.
- Failure to respond a second time “will result in termination,” Musk warned.
- At least eight federal agencies, including the Department of Defense and State Department, advised employees not to respond.
- Trump supports the second email, saying it will help determine who is actually working and who might be let go.
With federal workforce cuts already a priority for Trump, this latest move increases pressure on employees to justify their positions.
Musk’s Email Ultimatum: Resignation or Termination?
On Saturday, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) sent an email to federal workers, requesting that they submit a list of their achievements by Monday at 11:59 p.m. ET.
Musk’s Warning:
- Initially, Musk stated that failure to respond by the deadline “will be taken as a resignation.”
- By Monday, Musk softened his stance slightly, saying workers would get “another chance”.
- However, he doubled down Wednesday, saying that those who fail to respond again will be fired.
The mass email campaign has caused confusion among federal workers, with some agencies advising employees not to respond.
Federal Agencies Push Back
At least eight agencies, including the Department of Defense and State Department, told employees to ignore the OPM email, raising questions about its legality and enforcement.
Despite this, the White House reported that more than 1 million federal workers responded. However, Trump was not pleased with the remaining unresponsive employees.
“Maybe they are going to be gone. Maybe they are not around, maybe they have other jobs,” Trump said.
He added that the second email will help determine if some of these employees “actually exist.”
Trump’s Federal Workforce Reduction Plan
Trimming the federal workforce has been a key priority for Trump’s second term.
Recent Workforce Cuts:
- January 28 – February 6: The Trump administration offered buyouts to federal workers who did not want to work under his leadership. More than 40,000 employees accepted the buyout.
- February 11: Trump signed an executive order limiting federal hiring. Under the new rule, agencies can only hire one new employee for every four who leave, except for jobs in public safety, immigration enforcement, and law enforcement.
The White House’s Justification:
- “There are too many federal employees,” said a White House fact sheet.
- Excluding the military and Postal Service, the federal workforce exceeds 2.4 million employees.
- The administration aims to reduce government size and spending.
With buyouts, hiring freezes, and terminations, Trump’s administration is aggressively cutting federal jobs—and Musk’s email push is just the latest step.
