A growing number of federal agencies—including the FBI, state department, and Pentagon—are telling their employees to ignore Elon Musk’s latest directive: Submit a list of five work accomplishments from the past week or risk termination.
The resistance comes after Musk, appointed by President Donald Trump to lead the newly created department of government efficiency (DOGE), issued a sweeping mandate via email on Saturday night.
The message, sent from an office of personnel management (OPM) address, instructed federal workers to respond by 11:59pm Monday with their achievements. Musk later posted on X that “failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.”
The order has sparked confusion and pushback across the federal workforce, with some agencies instructing employees to comply, while others—led by Trump appointees—are refusing to enforce it.
Why it matters
- This marks the most significant internal resistance yet to Musk’s government overhaul, revealing fractures within the Trump administration.
- Musk’s directive was initially backed by Trump, who has long sought to slash the size of the federal government.
- But even some of Trump’s closest allies, including newly confirmed
FBI director Kash Patel and top officials at the Pentagon, are questioning its legality and practicality. - Federal workers’ unions have slammed Musk’s move as “plainly unlawful” and are threatening legal action.
The big picture
- Musk’s aggressive efforts to shrink the federal workforce have already led to the firing of tens of thousands of employees and voluntary resignations of thousands more. But this latest ultimatum is testing how far his authority really extends.
- FBI director Kash Patel: Ordered bureau employees to ignore Musk’s demand, stating that performance reviews would be conducted under existing FBI procedures.
- Pentagon leadership: Told employees to pause any response to the email, emphasizing that personnel reviews would be handled internally.
- State department: Acting undersecretary Tibor Nagy assured employees that department leadership—not individual workers—would respond to Musk’s mandate.
- 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 guidance is creating chaos among the federal workforce, leaving employees unsure whether they will face consequences for noncompliance.
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 narrative to say we have to cut and be cruel about it.”
- Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md): “The actions he’s taking are illegal.”
- Trump’s response? Instead of addressing the controversy directly, the president posted a meme mocking federal workers on his social media platform, depicting their supposed accomplishments as “Cried about Trump,” “Cried about Elon,” and “Read some emails.”
- 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.”
- The AFGE has demanded that OPM rescind the request and issue an apology by the end of the day.
Between the lines
- The uproar highlights the broader tensions between Musk’s “move fast and break things” mentality 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 worry that responding could violate security protocols, particularly in intelligence and law enforcement agencies.
Zoom in: The legal question
- Musk has provided no clear legal justification for his mandate, and experts say it likely violates federal employment protections.
- Mark Maxin, a former federal labor attorney: “Musk has no authority. He’s not in the chain of command for these employees, so issuing a direct order under the threat of termination 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.”
- While Musk’s order was sent through OPM, the HR arm of the federal government, some agencies are questioning whether OPM even has the authority to issue such a directive.
The fallout: Federal workers caught in the middle
- Millions of government employees are heading into the workweek unsure whether to comply with Musk’s demand.
- An IRS worker told Reuters: “I really wonder when someone is going to say enough.”
- A CDC official called the email “unprofessional and just plain creepy.”
- Veterans Affairs medical staff are scrambling to figure out how to respond, given that their work is patient-driven and not easily summarized in bullet points.
- 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.
- The White House has yet to clarify whether Musk’s order is legally binding.
- If agencies continue to resist, it could set up a broader power struggle between Trump’s appointees and Musk’s cost-cutting efforts.
- If federal employees refuse to respond, will Musk follow through on his threat to fire them? 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)