In a significant move by the Trump administration, federal workers received an email on Saturday afternoon mandating them to list their accomplishments from the past week or face resignation. This directive is part of the administration's latest efforts to reform and streamline the federal workforce.
The emails were sent following a tweet from billionaire and Trump ally Elon Musk, who announced that workers would soon receive emails asking for a summary of their weekly achievements. Musk emphasized that failure to respond to this email would be interpreted as a resignation.
Leading a campaign to reduce government spending through aggressive cuts and firings, Musk's influence extends beyond the private sector. His involvement in federal infrastructure changes has been approved by the White House, although the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is not an official government entity.
The email, with the subject line "What did you do last week?" and sent by HR, instructed employees to submit a list of their achievements in five bullet points by Monday at midnight. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the federal government's HR agency, confirmed the email's authenticity to CBS.
According to the OPM, this initiative aligns with the Trump Administration's commitment to an efficient and accountable federal workforce. Employees are required to provide a brief summary of their weekly activities, while agencies will decide on subsequent actions.
The American Federation of Government Employees, the largest union for federal workers, condemned the email as "cruel and disrespectful" and pledged to oppose any unlawful terminations. Union president Everett Kelley criticized Musk and the Trump Administration for their disdain toward federal employees and the vital services they provide.
Earlier at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), President Trump criticized federal employees for inadequate performance due to remote work. He praised Musk's cost-cutting strategies and voiced support for further reductions in government size.
Recent weeks have seen thousands of employees from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Pentagon, and the Federal Aviation Administration among others, lose their jobs. This approach mirrors Musk's management style during his acquisition of Twitter in 2022, where he demanded extreme dedication or resignation from employees.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump lauded Musk's efforts in downsizing the federal government and expressed a desire for more aggressive measures in this pursuit.
