Elon Musk’s directive to federal employees to report weekend work has been strongly criticized by a federal employee. A federal employee compared the directive to living in North Korea, voicing concerns about potential overreach or authoritarian control among the federal workforce.
Context. Musk’s Involvement with the Department of Government Efficiency
Musk, who announced via X (formerly Twitter), that federal workers would receive an e-mail requesting their accomplishments for the prior week, sparked controversy. The CEO stated, “failure of response will be taken to mean resignation.” Musk’s tweet and the email sent many agencies scrambling to get clarification. Many directors and agency leaders warned or prohibited employees from replying without direction. White House statistics show that less than 50% of federal employees responded to Musk’s email.
Musk is the head of DOGE, an initiative that was started under President Donald Trump. DOGE reportedly has recommended terminating over 200,000 Federal employees. According to the Office of Personnel Management, approximately 75,000 federal probationary workers have accepted “deferred” resignations.
Employees’ Perspective on Power Dynamics: Concerns and Fears
One federal employee described Musk’s “terrifying” directive in a social media video that was widely distributed.
The feeling of existential terror that I felt while typing a reply to the email was something I would like to share with everyone. I thought it gave a peek into what they were trying to achieve, which I found terrifying. She said, “It felt as if you were going to do whatever I told you or else.”
Musk’s post at X, however, did mention resignation in the event of a non-response. She said that while the leadership of the agency recognized the authenticity of the email, they were unsure whether the threat to terminate was genuine.
Musk was criticized by the employee for his involvement in the federal workforce management. He said, “Like, this is just an exercise to demonstrate how much they control us and how little they do. We must follow their orders.” And it’s so insane because again, who the f*** is Elon? And how did he decide to be the King of Federal Employees, the King of HR at the Office Personnel Management. We get to hear him tell us “send us emails or you are fired!”
She made a comparison between her situation and the authoritarian regime, saying: “It was like living in what I had always imagined North Korea would be, like where energy is, yes, master.” “Your wish is my command.” She expressed her regret at the loss of professionals with years of experience, and highlighted their dedication to their careers in federal government.
Musk’s response and justification
Musk shared a BBC article about North Korea that focused on the reports of starvation. He commented, “Out-of-touch with reality to say the least.”
Musk defended later his directive regarding X. He called the email “utterly ridiculous” and criticized federal employees for not following it. He questioned both their competency and the way taxpayers’ money was spent. Musk’s alleged “pulse review” only required someone to “confirm they have a heartbeat and two neurones” in order to respond to his email.
Karoline Lavitt, White House Press Secretary claimed that the email’s purpose was to make sure federal workers were working. Musk revealed that the email was sent after President Obama urged Musk to “be more aggressive” when it came to making cuts. The email was sent to employees of the agency asking for five bullet points to summarize their achievements and to copy their manager. It is expected that this will become a requirement every week.
OPM’s clarification and Trump’s support
Office of Personnel Management clarified to all agency leaders that Musk’s request was voluntary. Trump, who had praised Musk’s “pretty clever” move in public, provided this update. Trump said that those who miss the deadline will be fired or “semi terminated.” OPM then sent out a second email on Friday night, instructing employees to summarize their achievements in five bullet points and send a copy to their managers. They also stated that weekly submissions are due Monday by 11:59pm Eastern.
What are the next steps and what could be the impact on federal employees?
This situation continues, but it is not clear how far Musk or DOGE can go in terminating employees because of an email. The OPM and their respective agencies are providing guidance and updates to federal employees who work in classified or sensitive areas. These recent events have led to a heated debate over the power balance in the federal government, the rights of employees, the influence of the private sector on governance and how one can remove a member from the “deep State.” This controversy raises concerns about its potential effect on morale, productivity and the provision of vital government services.