Musk’s Controversial "What Did You Do Last Week?" Email Stirs Pushback from Trump Appointees
Elon Musk’s recent effort to implement a sweeping purge of the civil service took a surprising turn on Saturday with the issuance of an email demanding: "What did you do last week?"
The message, sent from the US Office of Personnel Management, instructed federal workers to submit a response with five bullet points outlining their accomplishments from the previous week. Failure to comply would be considered a resignation.
This request sent shockwaves through the civil service, with many fearing it was a trap intended to justify dismissals. Indeed, Musk’s subsequent ominous post on X, declaring, "Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation," further fueled these concerns.
However, the directive also provoked an unexpected wave of resistance from within the Trump administration itself. Newly confirmed FBI Director Kash Patel and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard circulated messages to their employees advising them against responding. Similar directives were issued by officials at the departments of State, Defense, Homeland Security, and Health and Human Services.
Amid the escalating backlash, Musk initially defended his request as innocuous. He claimed that the bar was low and that any email with a few coherent bullet points would suffice. He also stated that the email was intended to identify employees who were not checking their emails or were potentially collecting paychecks under false identities.
However, his tone soon shifted, and he declared on Monday: "This mess will get sorted out this week. Lot of people in for a rude awakening and strong dose of reality. They don’t get it yet, but they will."
The broader context of this controversy lies in Musk’s increasing assumption of the role of federal government CEO. Despite this, many Trump appointees have grown increasingly frustrated by his chaotic impact on their agencies.
A recent Washington Post article highlighted various complaints, including agencies’ lack of say in who was being laid off, leading to frantic attempts to rehire fired employees. Additionally, contracts for legally mandated functions were being canceled.
In response to these concerns, President Donald Trump posted a message on TruthSocial on Saturday morning: "ELON IS DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HIM GET MORE AGGRESSIVE."
"Will do, Mr. President!" Musk promptly replied on X.
The "What did you do last week?" email soon followed, echoing a tactic employed by Musk during his takeover of Twitter in 2022. However, this time, resistance emerged from unexpected sources, including Patel, the newly confirmed FBI director and staunch Trump loyalist.
In a message to FBI employees, Patel stated: "The FBI, through the Office of the Director, is in charge of all of our review processes and will conduct reviews in accordance with FBI procedures. When and if further information is required, we will coordinate the responses. For now, please pause any responses."
While it remains unclear whether Patel received permission from Trump or Musk to exempt the FBI, his actions could be interpreted as a direct challenge to Musk’s authority. The message effectively asserts that the FBI will only respond to review requests in accordance with its own procedures.
Musk’s apparent control over key levers of power within the government has made it difficult for others to push back against his mandates. For instance, through his allies in the Office of Personnel Management, Musk has the ability to engineer layoffs and place employees on paid administrative leave.
On Monday, Musk threatened further action: "Those who ignored President Trump’s executive order to return to work have now received over a month’s warning. Starting this week, those who still fail to return to office will be placed on administrative leave."
The implications of Musk’s unilateral actions and the pushback from Trump appointees remain to be seen. However, it is clear that the civil service is at a crossroads, facing uncertainty and potential upheaval.
