When billionaire Elon Musk posted on X last weekend that all federal employees would soon receive an email demanding details of their work from the past week, senior White House officials were initially caught off guard, multiple sources told ABC News. This unexpected move by Musk, who is a significant figure in Washington, has stirred confusion and tension among federal agencies.
The email, sent by Musk, set off widespread confusion across the federal government. Tension arose among members of Trump’s Cabinet, as multiple agency heads instructed their employees to delay responding until they received further briefings on the situation. At one point, sources familiar with the discussions revealed that senior White House staff debated issuing guidance to their employees, advising them that they did not need to reply. By late Monday night, the Office of Personnel Management clarified that White House staff were exempt from this exercise, citing the Presidential Records Act.
The apparent lack of communication between Musk and President Donald Trump’s top advisers, who are responsible for executing his second-term agenda, marks the latest in a series of controversial actions by Musk. Since his arrival in Washington last month, Musk's whirlwind approach has been characterized by rapid decisions and dominating national headlines, creating a rift among some in the White House and Trump’s inner circle, sources told ABC News.
While some close to the president have expressed frustration at Musk’s frenetic pace and his apparent disregard for coordination with senior officials, others have supported his tactics. Musk’s fast-paced efforts have been hailed by some as a necessary shakeup of a stagnant system. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that “the President and Elon, and his entire Cabinet, are working as one unified team, implementing these very common-sense solutions.” She added that more than 1 million federal workers had responded to Musk’s "What did you do last week?" email, including herself. Musk is expected to attend Trump’s first Cabinet meeting set for Wednesday.
Despite the support from some sectors, Musk’s breakneck pace has, at times, meant that the White House first learned of his actions through media reports or his own posts on X, instead of through the usual chain of senior staff. This has ruffled feathers among some top officials who view the billionaire’s methods as increasingly out of control. However, Musk has also gained support from influential figures such as Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff for policy, and Katie Miller, a senior adviser to Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency efforts.
Despite growing frustrations with Musk’s approach, there is a hesitancy to intervene due to the billionaire’s immense wealth and influence. Musk's larger-than-ever profile and ownership of X make it challenging to rein him in. Some officials have resigned themselves to managing the situation until Musk’s special government contract ends later this year, though it remains unclear if he plans to leave Washington afterward.
A senior White House official emphasized, “Any insinuation that senior leadership in the Trump White House is not properly being advised on the actions of DOGE is completely false. As an SGE, Elon Musk works directly with the president of the United States and senior members of his team to coordinate the effective and efficient execution of the president's agenda.”
According to the official, the American public widely supports the mission of DOGE, citing a Harris poll indicating vast support. “Anyone objecting to this mission in either party is objecting to long overdue change in Washington,” the official added.
The South African-born businessman spent $270 million to help Trump get reelected. When Trump returned to office on Jan. 20, he empowered Musk to slash federal spending and make key decisions about the future of the U.S. as a lead adviser in the newly created DOGE. Previously, Musk desired an office in the West Wing but has since taken up offices in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, where he introduced sleep pods for his staff working late into the night.
Musk, designated as a special government employee, has seen his companies, Tesla and SpaceX, awarded $18 billion in federal contracts over the last decade. While some of this funding comes from agencies Musk is reviewing, he dismisses any notion of conflicts of interest, stating that he is not directly involved in filing these contracts.
