A growing number of national agencies—including the FBI, position office, and Pentagon—are telling their employees to dismiss Elon Musk’s latest directive: Publish a list of five work accomplishments from the previous week or risk termination.
The opposition comes after President Donald Trump appointed Donald Trump to lead the newly established department of government efficiency ( DOGE ), which sent a comprehensive mandate via email on Saturday night.
The message, sent from an office of personnel administration ( OPM) target, instructed federal employees to respond by 11: 59pm Monday with their efforts. Musk after stated on X that “failure to answer will be regarded as a departure.”
The attempt has sparked uncertainty and opposition across the national labor, with some companies instructing employees to agree, while others—led by Trump appointees—are refusing to uphold it.
Why it concerns
- This marks the most significant domestic opposition still to Musk’s state reform, revealing bones within the Trump presidency.
- Musk’s order was immediately backed by Trump, who has huge sought to slice the size of the federal government.
- But even some of Trump’s closest friends, including previously confirmed FBI director Kash Patel and top officials at the Pentagon, are questioning its propriety and utility.
- Federal workers ‘ unions have slammed Musk’s walk as “plainly immoral” and are intimidating legal action.
The big picture
- Tens of thousands of federal workers have already been fired as a result of Musk’s violent efforts to reduce the workforce, and thousands more have voluntarily resigned. However, his most recent order demonstrates how much his authority extends.
- FBI director Kash Patel: Ordered ministry staff to ignore Musk’s desire, stating that performance evaluations may be conducted under existing FBI procedures.
- Pentagon command: Told employees to delay any answer to the e-mail, emphasizing that personnel reviews may be handled privately.
- State office: Acting undersecretary Tibor Nagy assured employees that office leadership—not personal workers—would reply to Musk’s mission.
- Department of health &, human services ( HHS) flip-flop: Initially told employees to comply, then reversed course, directing them to pause responses pending further guidance.
- The conflicting instructions are causing chaos in the federal workforce, leaving employees unsure whether they will suffer consequences for breaking them.
What they’re saying
- The backlash is not just coming from Democrats —some Republicans are also expressing concerns about Musk’s approach.
- Senator John Curtis (R-Utah ):” If I could say one thing to Elon Musk, it’s like, please put a dose of compassion in this. These are real people. These are real lives. These are mortgages. It’s a false claim that we should cut and treat others badly.
- Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md ):” The actions he’s taking are illegal”.
- Trump’s response? The president posted a meme mocking federal employees on his social media platform read” Cried about Trump,”” Cried about Elon,” and” Read some emails” rather than directly addressing the issue.
- Meanwhile, unions representing federal workers are preparing for a legal battle.
- Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees ( AFGE ), called Musk’s order “unelected and unhinged”, adding:” Employees have no obligation to respond to this plainly unlawful email”.
- By the end of the day, the AFGE has requested that OPM retract the request and issue an apology.
Between the lines
- The outcry highlights the deeper divisions between Musk’s “move fast and break things” philosophy and the bureaucratic structure of the federal government.
- Unlike his private companies—where he swiftly slashed staff at X ( formerly Twitter ) and imposed strict work requirements—Musk is running into legal and institutional barriers in Washington.
- Under federal law, most civil servants cannot be fired without due process, making it unclear whether Musk’s “failure to respond = resignation” policy is even enforceable.
- Some federal employees are concerned that responding could go against security standards, particularly those in law enforcement and intelligence organizations.
Zoom in: The legal question
- Experts claim that Musk’s mandate likely violates federal employment protections because he has no clear legal justification for it.
- Mark Maxin, a former federal labor attorney:” Musk has no authority. Since he is not in charge of these employees, issuing a direct order under the threat of dismissal is a clear overreach.
- Michael Fallings, federal employment lawyer:” This wouldn’t hold up in court. The federal workforce isn’t Twitter—these workers have rights and protections Musk doesn’t seem to understand”.
- Some organizations are unsure whether OPM even has the authority to issue such a directive despite Musk’s order being sent through OPM, the HR arm of the federal government.
The fallout: Federal workers caught in the middle
- Millions of government employees are unsure whether to follow Musk’s instructions during the work week.
- An IRS worker told Reuters:” I really wonder when someone is going to say enough”.
- The email was described as “unprofessional and just plain creepy,” according to a CDC official.
- Given that their work is patient-driven and cannot be easily summarized in bullet points, the Veterans Affairs medical staff are having a hard time figuring out how to respond.
- Even intelligence agencies received the email—despite their work often being classified.
- Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s director of national intelligence, ordered intelligence officials not to respond, citing national security concerns.
What’s next
- With the Monday night deadline looming, tensions are escalating behind the scenes.
- If Musk’s order is legally binding, the White House has not yet made that clear.
- If agencies continue to resist, it could set up a broader power struggle between Trump’s appointees and Musk’s cost-cutting efforts.
- Will Musk follow through on his threat to fire federal employees if they refuse to do so? And if he does, will the courts intervene?
- Meanwhile, Trump has remained largely silent, beyond cheering on Musk’s aggressive tactics on social media.
The bottom line
What started as a simple request for work reports has spiraled into a high-stakes battle over government authority, labor rights, and Musk’s unchecked power.
Federal agencies are resisting, unions are preparing lawsuits, and legal experts say Musk’s order won’t hold up in court.
But for thousands of federal workers, the uncertainty is real—and the fate of their jobs could hinge on a billionaire’s tweet.
( With inputs from agencies )
