Former Federal Workers Face Ultimatum from Trump Ally Musk: Document or Resign

The directive raises discussions on government accountability and employee morale amidst heightened scrutiny of federal spending.

In a dramatic communication from the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), federal employees were instructed to submit a list of their accomplishments from the preceding week or risk losing their jobs. This email, delivered on Saturday afternoon, followed a tweet from billionaire entrepreneur and close Trump associate, Elon Musk, who indicated that government workers would soon receive an email focusing on their productivity. Musk emphasized that those who fail to respond would effectively be resigning.

This initiative is part of the broader efforts by the Trump administration to streamline federal spending, which has included drastic cuts and employee layoffs. The email, with the subject line "What did you do last week?" and sent from an HR address, requested that employees provide a summary of their recent achievements in a five-point format, while avoiding any mention of classified information, before the deadline of midnight on Monday. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the governmental body overseeing federal human resources, confirmed the email's authenticity in a statement to CBS.

Criticism arose swiftly from the American Federation of Government Employees, the largest union representing federal workers, which condemned the message as "cruel and disrespectful." Union President Everett Kelley expressed outrage, highlighting the apparent contempt Musk and the Trump administration exhibit towards federal employees and the essential services they render to the nation.

During the same day, President Trump spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), voicing concerns about the productivity of federal employees who, according to him, fail to come into the office regularly. Although Doge is not a formally recognized governmental entity, Musk’s influence on federal workforce policies has led to significant staffing reductions across key agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Pentagon, and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Musk's management style has previously faced scrutiny during his acquisition of Twitter in 2022, where he introduced similar ultimatums that forced employees to either commit to an intense work ethic or resign. Following Musk’s actions, Trump publicly commended him for his efforts to reduce the size of government, expressing a desire for Musk to intensify these tactics.

As government employees grapple with this latest directive, the implications of such emails on productivity, morale, and the overall effectiveness of federal operations continue to generate discussion.