Federal employees are facing uncertainty after recent demands inspired by Elon Musk. The U.S. government’s human resources agency, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), first told workers they didn’t have to comply with the request to report their weekly accomplishments or risk losing their jobs. However, just hours later, OPM sent another message suggesting that such requests could become part of regular reporting and that workers could face consequences for not responding.
The issue started over the weekend when employees received an email titled “What did you do last week?” asking them to list about five accomplishments.
Trump’s Stance on the Issue
President Donald Trump, when asked about the situation, gave mixed responses. “It’s somewhat voluntary,” he said, but also suggested that ignoring the request could lead to termination. He repeated claims that taxpayer money was being wasted on “ghost employees” and implied that workers would have more chances to report their activities before any action was taken.
The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, stated that over 1 million federal employees responded to Musk’s request, which is less than half of the estimated 2.4 million federal workforce. She explained that Musk introduced this idea based on his business practices and said the administration is working as a “unified team.”
Confusion and Fear Among Federal Employees
Many federal workers were left unsure of whether responding was mandatory. One worker, speaking anonymously due to fear of retaliation, said they initially expected guidance that the request was optional. When no such clarification came, they submitted their bullet points to avoid trouble.
Musk has continued to push for compliance on his social media platform, X. He criticized employees and managers who resisted the request, calling the task “trivial” and saying the “DC swamp” is finally being drained.
Growing Backlash and Political Concerns
While Musk has strong support from Trump and some Republicans, his role in government is sparking backlash. A CNN poll found that about half of Americans think Musk’s involvement is a bad idea, while only a third view it positively. Another survey showed that Americans are divided on whether Musk is cutting unnecessary costs or harming essential government programs.
Despite the criticism, Republican leaders insist they are delivering the change voters wanted. White House counselor Alina Habba reinforced this by stating, “If you’re not on an America First agenda, you’re not here.”
Meanwhile, the Associated Press has filed a lawsuit against the White House, accusing officials of violating First- and Fifth-Amendment rights. The White House argues that the AP is not following an executive order requiring the Gulf of Mexico to be referred to as the Gulf of America.
As tensions rise, it remains unclear how federal agencies will proceed with Musk’s demands and what the long-term impact will be on government employees.
