After a weekend of confusion, the Trump administration on Monday afternoon informed federal businesses they do not should direct employees to adjust to Elon Musk’s request for details about their actions at work, and that doing so is voluntary, in line with two sources aware of the matter.
The Workplace of Personnel Administration — successfully the human assets company for the federal authorities — up to date company human assets officers on a Monday name over Elon Musk’s name for the Trump administration to fireplace federal employees who didn’t reply to an e mail asking them to submit an e mail itemizing their accomplishments from the earlier week.
Including to the confusion are Trump’s personal feedback Monday, when he informed journalists within the Oval Workplace there was a “lot of genius” behind Musk’s proposal, and that employees could be “kind of semi-fired” if they do not reply.
OPM didn’t reply to a request for touch upon the directions given to federal businesses.
Elon Musk listens to President Donald Trump converse within the Oval Workplace of the White Home in Washington, Feb. 11, 2025.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
Within the newest effort by the Division of Authorities Effectivity to analyze effectivity and scale back the scale of the federal government, workers had been requested in an e mail from the Workplace of Personnel Administration on Saturday to record 5 accomplishments over the earlier week and reply by 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday.
Musk threatened on social media that workers would face termination if they don’t comply. The unique e mail despatched to workers didn’t embrace such an ultimatum, leaving some workers unaware of the menace.
Nevertheless, some federal businesses informed workers not to answer the OPM e mail, some suggested that workers ought to reply and others mentioned that replying is “voluntary,” creating uncertainty among the many rank and file.
Musk’s ultimatum raised questions on how a lot authority he holds within the authorities. Whereas the White Home argued in a courtroom submitting that Musk has no true energy, Musk doubled down on his ultimatum Monday morning, warning that “Those that don’t take this e mail critically will quickly be furthering their profession elsewhere.”
Trump endorsed the e-mail whereas taking questions Monday with French President Emmanuel Macron.
“I assumed it was nice as a result of we now have folks that do not present as much as work, and no person even is aware of in the event that they work for the federal government,” Trump mentioned. “So, by asking the query, ‘Inform us what you probably did this week,’ what he is doing is saying, ‘Are you truly working?'”
“After which in the event you do not reply such as you’re kind of semi-fired otherwise you’re fired as a result of lots of people aren’t answering as a result of they do not even exist,” Trump mentioned.
Requested later Monday in regards to the change in OPM coverage, a White Home official mentioned, “DOGE is transferring quick, on the course of POTUS, and that’s precisely the purpose.”
“It’s all about effectivity, even internally,” the official added.
In an announcement, White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt mentioned, “Everyone seems to be working collectively as one unified crew on the course of President Trump. Any notion on the contrary is totally false.”
Blended messages
Federal workers on Saturday started receiving the OPM e mail with the topic line “What did you do final week” that demanded they record “5 bullets of what you achieved final week and CC your supervisor,” in line with a number of sources and an e mail reviewed by ABC Information.
The topic line got here from Musk’s playbook: “What did you get performed this week?” is identical message he despatched to the CEO of Twitter (now X) Parag Agrawal earlier than Musk purchased the corporate and fired the CEO.
A spokesperson from the Workplace of Personnel Administration mentioned Saturday that “businesses will decide any subsequent steps.”
But administration at a number of businesses informed their workers that they had been ready on additional steerage and, in some circumstances, informed them to carry off on replying, in line with a number of sources.
Federal employees and supporters maintain indicators as they show in opposition to Elon Musk and his Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE) exterior of the Workplace of Personnel Administration headquarters, Feb. 7, 2025 in Washington.
Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Photos
Workers on the Justice Division had been informed that they didn’t want to answer the OPM request, in line with an e mail obtained by ABC Information. The Protection Division informed workers who acquired the e-mail to “please pause any response.” The Pentagon official filling in because the Division’s prime personnel officer mentioned that DOD would evaluation any efficiency of personnel in line with its personal procedures, however added that “when and if required” it could coordinate responses to OPM’s e mail.
Newly confirmed FBI Director Kash Patel additionally informed workers to “please pause any responses” to the e-mail.
Workers at businesses together with the Federal Emergency Administration Company, the Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, and the United States Division of Power had been informed by senior workers that they had been ready on additional steerage and, in some circumstances, informed to attend for additional discover earlier than responding.
NASA appearing Administrator Janet Petro knowledgeable workers on Monday earlier than OPM’s steerage went out that responding to the e-mail was elective and that not responding would have “no influence to your employment,” in line with an e mail obtained by ABC Information.
“Workers might have already responded or should still select to reply. You aren’t required to reply, and there’s no influence to your employment with the company in the event you select to not reply,” Petro wrote within the e mail.
Different businesses directed workers to answer. Chatting with Fox Information on Monday morning, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy defined why his workers ought to reply to Musk’s e mail.
“If you cannot give you 5 issues that you simply did, perhaps you should not be employed right here,” Duffy mentioned, calling it an “simple activity” that “occurs within the personal sector on a regular basis.”
Management on the Treasury Division despatched an agency-wide e mail Monday morning instructing all workers — together with these on the IRS — to adjust to OPM’s e mail by the deadline, in line with an e mail obtained by ABC Information.
Nevertheless, the e-mail nonetheless left some workers confused, notably as a result of it doesn’t make clear whether or not failure to reply by the deadline may end in termination.
Federal employees who do not observe Musk on social media might be unaware there’s an ultimatum on the desk. Whereas the administration did ask federal workers to record their accomplishments, the e-mail didn’t state that those that failed to reply by the deadline could be fired.
Workers throughout businesses informed ABC Information they hadn’t seen Musk’s threats till they had been requested for his or her response to them.
One IRS worker informed ABC Information that after they requested their direct managers whether or not not responding would end in them being fired, they had been informed, “We’re solely to stick to official emails and ignore any directives not communicated via official channels.”
Elon Musk joins President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump throughout a marketing campaign rally at web site of his first assassination try in Butler, Penn., Oct. 5, 2024.
Jim Watson/AFP through Getty Photos
One other worker in administration on the IRS mentioned workers are “freaking out.”
Managers on the Division of Veterans Affairs informed workers to answer the e-mail. One supervisor on the company informed ABC Information that employees are “scared.”
“It’s not an exaggeration,” they mentioned. “All people is afraid they will lose their jobs each day. There’s this worry that you simply’re going to open your e mail and you can be terminated.”
How a lot authority does Musk have?
It isn’t clear if Musk has the authority to terminate workers on this method. Nevertheless, he continues to behave as if he does, threatening workers on Monday morning with administrative go away if they don’t return to work this week.
White Home legal professionals attested in federal courtroom that Musk “has no precise or formal authority to make authorities selections.”
Trump aides have additionally mentioned publicly that Musk is working in an advisory capability as a particular authorities worker.
Whereas Trump has mentioned that Musk can not do something with out his approval, the president has publicly heralded Musk because the chief of DOGE and lauded him for the job he is doing in that capability. On Saturday, shortly earlier than the OPM e mail went out, Trump posted on his Reality Social platform, “ELON IS DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HIM GET MORE AGGRESSIVE.”
-ABC Information’ Devin Dwyer, Peter Charalambous, Selina Wang, Emily Chang and Michelle Stoddart contributed to this report.
