Elon Musk's ultimatum: Weekly reports or forced resignations
Elon Musk, heading the Department of Government Efficiency, has ordered employees of federal agencies in the USA to send an email detailing what they did at work in the past week. Failure to respond will be treated as a resignation.
Elon Musk, serving as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has introduced new rules for employees of federal agencies in the USA. On Saturday, he announced that all officials must submit a report of their activities from the past week by the end of Monday. According to the Polish Press Agency, failure to respond will be considered a resignation.
A shocking move by Musk, gave them 48 hours. Then he will fire them
On Saturday, Musk announced on X that every federal agency worker will soon be emailed to justify their actions over the past week, and if they don't respond, it will be regarded as a resignation, shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump stated on social media that "Elon is doing a great job" but would like him to "more aggressively" implement reform and spending cut programs.
On Sunday, employees received emails with instructions asking for a summary of their activities in five paragraphs. These messages were sent by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which oversees hiring at federal institutions. Some agencies, like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, recommended their employees hold off on responding to assess the situation.
"The situation is unexpected and requires further verification by management," it was stated in an email sent to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration staff.
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the union representing federal employees, announced that it would challenge any "unlawful dismissals." AFGE President Everett Kelley criticized the actions of Musk and the Trump administration, pointing out the lack of respect for federal employees.
Reuters points out that it's unclear what legal basis Musk has for firing federal officials who do not respond to the email, nor what will happen to employees who cannot describe confidential work in detail.
Musk and his role in the administration
President Donald Trump appointed Elon Musk as the head of DOGE, a new government institution aimed at cutting federal spending. So far, Musk has fired or announced the firing of thousands of administrative employees, and about 75,000 people have accepted severance packages in exchange for resigning.
Last week, DOGE presented a review of canceled government contracts, claiming it brought about $55 billion in savings. However, media outlets, including CNN, have questioned these numbers, pointing out calculation errors and including maximum contract amounts that were likely not intended to be fully realized.
