Elon Musk Directs Federal Employees to Justify Their Work
New Directive for Federal Workers
Elon Musk, billionaire advisor to former President Donald Trump, announced on Saturday that all U.S. federal employees must justify their work or face potential job loss. This directive came hours after Trump urged Musk to be “more aggressive” in reducing government spending.
Musk, the world’s richest person and a major Trump donor, has been leading efforts to streamline the federal workforce.
In a statement, Musk declared, “All federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week. Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.”
Details of the Email
According to a copy of the email obtained by AFP, federal workers were asked to provide “approximately 5 bullets of what you accomplished last week.”
The email, sent by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), had the subject line “What did you do last week?” and set a deadline of 11:59 PM Monday for responses. However, the message did not explicitly state that failure to reply would result in termination.
The OPM did not immediately respond to AFP’s request for comment on the directive.
Pushback from Federal Employee Unions
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the largest federal employee union, strongly criticized the move.
National President Everett Kelley condemned Musk and the Trump administration, stating that the directive demonstrated “their utter disdain for federal employees and the critical services they provide to the American people.”
Kelley also highlighted the impact on veterans in civil service, calling the requirement “cruel and disrespectful” and criticizing Musk for his lack of public service experience.
Employee Reactions and Guidance
Several federal employees told AFP that they were advised by their agencies not to respond to the email and to await further instructions.
This guidance was echoed by the National Treasury Employees Union. A physician at the Department of Veterans Affairs, who received the email, expressed frustration, saying, “I have so much work to do, I am not going to neglect actual patient care for this drama.”
Musk later softened his tone on social media, stating that the bar for responses was “very low” and that “an email with some bullet points that make any sense at all is acceptable!”
Trump’s Call for Aggressive Action
Trump’s Endorsement of Musk
Earlier on Saturday, Trump praised Musk on his Truth Social platform, saying, “Elon is doing a great job, but I would like to see him get more aggressive.” He added, “Remember, we have a country to save.”
Trump has appointed Musk to lead the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an advisory body tasked with cutting public spending and addressing alleged waste and corruption.
Recent Workforce Reductions
As part of the cost-cutting measures, the U.S. Defense Department announced plans to reduce its civilian workforce by at least five percent starting the following week. The Trump administration has also begun terminating federal workers on probationary status.
Legal and Operational Challenges
DOGE’s initiatives have faced legal challenges and mixed court rulings. A judge recently denied a union’s request to temporarily halt the firing of thousands of employees.
Despite pushback, Musk has emphasized transparency, stating that DOGE’s actions are being publicized on its website to ensure accountability.
Musk’s Commitment to the Role
Musk has expressed his willingness to continue working with Trump as long as he “can be helpful.” Both have dismissed concerns about potential conflicts of interest arising from Musk’s government contracts.
At a meeting of conservative activists, Trump praised Musk, calling him a “patriot” and highlighting the successes of DOGE in uncovering what he described as “flagrant scams.”
Key Points
- Elon Musk directed federal employees to justify their work or risk losing their jobs.
- The directive followed Trump’s call for Musk to be “more aggressive” in cutting government spending.
- Federal employee unions criticized the move, calling it disrespectful and unlawful.
- Employees were advised by some agencies not to respond to the email until further guidance was provided.
- Trump has tasked Musk with leading DOGE to reduce public spending and address waste.
- Recent workforce cuts include a five percent reduction in the Defense Department’s civilian workforce.
- Musk has emphasized transparency and accountability in DOGE’s operations.
