Elon Musk’s Ultimatum to Federal Workers Sparks Chaos and Confusion

OXON HILL, Md. — Elon Musk has stirred controversy after issuing an ultimatum to hundreds of thousands of federal workers, demanding they report their weekly accomplishments within 48 hours or face potential job loss. The unusual directive, issued Saturday via Musk’s social media platform X, has introduced a new layer of confusion within various governmental agencies as officials scramble to respond.

The billionaire, who serves as President Donald Trump’s chief of cost-cutting, announced the order, stating, “Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump’s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week. Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.”

Following Musk’s message, federal employees received an official email instructing them to summarize their accomplishments from the previous week in five bullet points and to cc their manager. The deadline for responses was set for Monday at 11:59 p.m. However, many agencies, including the State Department and the National Weather Service, quickly advised employees not to comply with the request.

Tibor Nagy, the acting undersecretary for management at the State Department, clarified in an email that their department would respond on behalf of employees, stating, “No employee is obligated to report their activities outside of their Department chain of command.”

The directive created chaos across various agencies, with leadership teams working to verify the legitimacy of the emails. Many employees, including judges and staff from federal prison systems, were left uncertain about how to proceed. The National Weather Service’s leadership acknowledged receiving mixed messages, urging employees to refrain from responding until further clarification could be obtained.

The backlash from labor unions was swift, with American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) President Everett Kelley criticizing the ultimatum. “It is cruel and disrespectful to hundreds of thousands of veterans who are wearing their second uniform in the civil service to be forced to justify their job duties to this out-of-touch, privileged, unelected billionaire,” Kelley declared.

Musk has actively pursued reductions in the size of the federal workforce since Trump returned to office and began implementing campaign promises aimed at cutting costs. In January alone, thousands were either fired or offered buyouts. Reports indicate that hundreds of thousands of federal employees are currently affected by ongoing cuts, including significant job losses at the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Defense, and Health and Human Services.

In light of the confusion, officials from various agencies, including the Pentagon and the Internal Revenue Service, advised employees to withhold any responses to the request until a clearer directive was issued. Acting IRS Commissioner recently informed staff they were awaiting guidance from the Treasury, but did not specify whether to comply with Musk’s request.

Some team leaders, like McLaurine Pinover from the Office of Personnel Management, confirmed the authenticity of Musk’s directive, noting that each agency would decide on the next steps. “What happens if an employee is on leave or vacation?” she asked, emphasizing that each agency would determine its response.

This latest episode follows Musk’s prior remarks at a conservative gathering, where he referred to his role as a “chainsaw for bureaucracy,” suggesting there is waste throughout the federal government. Musk’s assertion has drawn skepticism, especially regarding claims of federal fraud involving “non-existent people” collecting paychecks.

As the deadline approaches, many agencies continue to navigate the repercussions of Musk’s request, with some encouraging compliance while others firmly instructed workers to remain non-compliant. Tensions continue to rise as the impacts of these directives ripple through the federal sector.