In a recent development involving President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, federal employees began receiving emails on Saturday, demanding a summary of their work accomplishments from the previous week. Employees were informed that failure to respond could potentially lead to their resignation, a directive announced by Musk himself.
The email, originating from the Office of Personnel Management's HR email address, instructed recipients to reply with approximately five bullet points summarizing their weekly achievements, ensuring no classified information was included. The subject line clearly questioned, "What did you do last week?" and was marked with high importance.
While Musk's social media posts suggested non-compliance would equate to resignation, the email itself did not explicitly state this consequence. Instead, it set a submission deadline for Monday at 11:59 p.m. ET. This move has created significant anxiety among the federal workforce, already under pressure from various recent mandates issued by the Trump administration.
Union leaders, like one chapter president, have been inundated with texts from concerned employees since the email and Musk's post. Many advised members to await further guidance before responding. Concerns have also been raised about employees on vacation or sick leave potentially facing termination for not responding in time.
Everett Kelley, national president of the American Federation of Government Employees, criticized Musk's ultimatum, describing it as disrespectful to federal employees and veterans. He emphasized the union's intent to pursue legal action against any unlawful terminations.
Other federal employees expressed outrage, calling the demand "insulting" and "mind-blowing," particularly as their work activities are already tracked. Some felt compelled to respond out of fear of being terminated, despite the confusing nature of the request.
Following Musk's announcement, President Trump endorsed his actions at the Conservative Political Action Conference, calling Musk a "patriot" and encouraging him to be more aggressive. Trump has tasked Musk with reshaping the federal government, though the legality of these recent measures remains uncertain.
Trump's social media post further encouraged Musk, stating, "ELON IS DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HIM GET MORE AGGRESSIVE. REMEMBER, WE HAVE A COUNTRY TO SAVE, BUT ULTIMATELY, TO MAKE GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE. MAGA!" Musk responded affirmatively to Trump's message.
This directive comes as Musk and Trump aim to overhaul the federal workforce, potentially reducing its size, replacing career workers with political appointees, and eliminating certain civil service protections. These efforts have sparked a significant debate about the future of federal employment and the role of political influence in government operations.
This story has been updated with additional reporting, with CNN's Betsy Klein contributing to the coverage.
