Elon Musk’s Ultimatum: Federal Employees Ordered to Account for Time or Face Dismissal
Background: Trump’s Demand for "More Aggression"
On Saturday, February 22nd, President Donald Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to urge Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to take a more aggressive approach in his efforts to reduce government spending. "Elon is doing a great job, but I would like to see him get more aggressive," Trump wrote. "Remember, we have a country to save."
Musk’s Order: Account for Last Week or Resign
Responding swiftly to Trump’s call, Musk announced on his own social media platform, X, that "all federal employees" would receive an email shortly requesting an explanation of their activities during the previous week. "Failure to respond will be considered resignation," added Musk, who was appointed by Trump to head the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), tasked with reducing public spending.
An email obtained by Agence France-Presse (AFP) revealed the subject line of the message as "What did you do last week?" Employees were instructed to respond by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on Monday, listing five tasks completed during the previous week and cc’ing their supervisors.
However, the email did not explicitly state that failure to respond would result in job loss. Musk later appeared to backtrack, stating on X that the bar was "very low." "An email with a few bullet points that are half decent will suffice!" he added.
Union Condemns Unlawful Termination Threat
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the largest union representing federal employees, vowed to challenge any "illegal" termination of employment. "Once again, Elon Musk and the Trump Administration have shown their utter disdain for federal employees and the essential services they provide to the American people," said AFGE President Everett Kelley in a statement.
"Veterans who wear their second uniform in public service are being treated with cruelty and disrespect…by this out-of-touch, privileged, unelected billionaire who has never worked an honest day in public service in his life," Kelley asserted.
Employees confirmed to AFP that their agencies had advised them not to respond to the email, pending further instructions.
Trump Administration’s Ongoing Workforce Reductions
In just five weeks, the Trump administration has implemented drastic measures aimed at reducing the size of the federal workforce. Thousands of federal employees in probationary periods have been dismissed. The Department of Defense, targeted by the latest round of cuts announced on Friday, is expected to reduce its staffing by at least 5% beginning next week.
A voluntary separation program, which offered federal employees an incentive to resign in exchange for continued pay through September, has also been initiated. According to the Washington Post, over 75,000 federal employees have accepted the buyout offer.
Some of the proposed spending cuts announced by Musk and President Trump since the latter’s inauguration in late January have been challenged in court.
Conclusion
Elon Musk’s ultimatum to federal employees, sparked by President Trump’s demand for a more aggressive approach to spending cuts, has drawn strong condemnation from unions representing government workers. While Musk has appeared to soften his stance, the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to reduce the federal workforce face legal challenges and widespread resistance.
