In a dramatic twist that feels straight out of a corporate boardroom thriller, Elon Musk has ordered federal workers to submit a weekly summary of their accomplishments—or risk being fired. On Saturday, Musk posted on X, declaring that employees who do not "reply to this email with approx. 5 bullets of what you accomplished this week" will have their non-response treated as a resignation. The directive was rapidly echoed in an email from the Office of Personnel Management with the subject “What did you do last week?” and hit inboxes across multiple agencies, from the State Department to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, sparking both support from some leaders and intense anxiety among rank-and-file workers. While President Trump backed Musk’s aggressive overhaul of the bureaucracy, calling for him to be “more aggressive,” federal employee unions quickly decried the measure as “cruel and disrespectful.” Amid rising legal challenges and concerns over the use of artificial intelligence to monitor responses, the move reflects Musk’s signature mix of innovation—and intimidation—in reshaping his sphere of influence.
Directive Issued: Federal employees across several government agencies must email their weekly accomplishments in roughly five bullet points.Threat of Termination: Musk warned on X that “Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation,” although this explicit threat wasn’t stated in the email itself.Wide-Reaching Email: The Office of Personnel Management sent out the email across agencies including the EPA, NIH, NOAA, and more.Mixed Reactions: Some agency leaders, like interim U.S. Attorney Ed Martin, welcomed the change, while rank-and-file employees expressed shock and distress.Political Backing: President Trump encouraged Musk to adopt an aggressive approach, highlighting his support for this overhaul of the federal workforce.Union Backlash: The American Federation of Government Employees condemned the move, with union president Everett Kelley stating it shows “utter disdain for federal employees.”Potential Legal Issues: Experts anticipate legal challenges, arguing there is “zero basis in the civil service system for this” tactic.Echoes of Past Tactics: The method mirrors Musk's approach at Twitter during his 2022 takeover, emphasizing a performance-driven, and sometimes ruthless, management style.
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