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Elon Musk issued an ultimatum to federal employees on Saturday, demanding they provide justification for their work or face termination, following President Trump’s call for more aggressive government spending cuts.
As Trump’s primary financial supporter and the world’s wealthiest individual, Musk has spearheaded initiatives to reduce the federal workforce significantly.
Taking to social media, Musk announced that federal workers would receive an email requiring them to detail their recent work activities, warning that non-response would be interpreted as voluntary resignation.
The communication, sent via the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM), requested employees to list approximately five bullet points describing their previous week’s accomplishments. While Monday at 11:59 pm was set as the response deadline, the message didn’t explicitly state that failing to respond would result in job loss.
Federal employee is complaining about Elon Musk’s email, claiming it never explicitly said she had to open it.
These people are insufferable. pic.twitter.com/MU530Sm7Cj
— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) February 23, 2025
After his initial announcement, Musk acknowledged receiving numerous satisfactory responses, suggesting these employees should be considered for career advancement.
The initiative drew sharp criticism from Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), who promised legal action against any unlawful dismissals.
“It is cruel and disrespectful to hundreds of thousands of veterans who are wearing their second uniform in the civil service to be forced to justify their job duties to this out-of-touch, privileged, unelected billionaire who has never performed one single hour of honest public service in his life,” he said.
Multiple federal workers informed AFP that their agencies advised against responding to the email until further guidance was provided, advice that aligned with the National Treasury Employees Union’s position.
A Department of Veterans Affairs physician expressed frustration, telling AFP: “I have so much work to do, I am not going to neglect actual patient care for this drama.”
Later, Musk attempted to minimize the gravity of the requirement, stating on social media that the standards were minimal and that any logical bullet-point response would suffice.
Earlier that day, Trump praised Musk’s performance on Truth Social but expressed desire for more aggressive action.
As head of the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk has been tasked with targeting alleged waste and corruption while reducing public expenditure.
So, according to Shannon Bream, Elon Musk's letter to federal employees is "killing morale."
Why is this suddenly controversial? Simply asking employees to list what they've accomplished for the week is pretty typical in most industries! pic.twitter.com/aj6dOCNAdC
— Michelle #AmericaFirst (@MichelleRM68) February 23, 2025
Recent developments include the Defense Department’s announcement of a minimum five percent reduction in civilian staff beginning next week, while the administration has already dismissed numerous probationary federal employees.
Despite facing legal challenges and mixed judicial decisions, DOGE continues its cost-cutting mission under Musk’s leadership.
Addressing potential conflicts of interest due to his government contracts, Musk pledged to continue supporting Trump as long as he could contribute meaningfully.
At a conservative gathering Saturday, Trump praised Musk’s efforts, stating, “Elon is doing a great job,” and “People said, what official position does he have? I said, ‘Patriot’.”
Musk emphasized DOGE’s commitment to transparency, noting that all actions would be publicly documented on their website to ensure accountability.
